Celebrating the rise of women in Sport who have flown and continue to fly the South African flag high both on domestic and international stages! featured here is Bongiwe Msomi.
She is the main face of the 2023 Netball World Cup in her home country, but life hasn’t always been this way for the inspiring Proteas captain, Bongiwe Msomi.
Msomi (35) is leading the Spar Proteas in the tournament at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. This achievement was something she could have never imagined when she was a young girl growing up in Hammersdale, KwaZulu-Natal.
At the age of 16, while watching her friends play netball, she was asked to join in as a fill-in player. Despite not having proper gear or training, she impressed the coach and was invited to play again the following week.
From that moment, her netball journey began. Bongi worked hard and climbed up the ranks, making her debut for South Africa at 23 years old in 2011. In 2016, she achieved her dream of becoming the captain of the team. Under her leadership, the Proteas had their best performance at the Netball World Cup in 2019, finishing in fourth place. This success raised the popularity of the sport in South Africa and beyond.
SA Netball Captain Bongiwe Msomi Talks World Cup Dreams https://t.co/HGMRUBMFO6 via @@WomensHealthSA @PUMASouthAfrica @BongiweMsomi2
— Douglas Carew (@DougCarew) June 6, 2023
Msomi has led the team in the 2022 Commonwealth Games. In 2022, Bongi played a crucial role in the Gauteng Golden Fireballs team, helping them win the Telkom Netball League title. She was recognized as the Best Centre Court Player, a title she previously won in 2020 and 2015.
Despite facing hardships like poverty and limited resources during her upbringing, Bongi was inspired to make a difference. She started the Bongi Msomi Legacy Project in her hometown, Hammarsdale, to support young netball players in the community.
She may now be living under the city lights of Johannesburg, but Proteas captain Bongi Msomi has not forgotten where she came from. Msomi was in her hometown of Hammarsdale on Saturday, conducting netball clinics to 80 kids from schools in the area. #DStv403 #eNCA pic.twitter.com/0jPo0KespI
— eNCA (@eNCA) May 28, 2023
The Legacy Project provides funding, equipment, travel expenses, and food to those in need. Bongi hopes to give back and be a source of inspiration and hope for the girls and women in her community, providing them with opportunities she once wished for herself through the sport of netball.
Bongi’s story is an inspiration to all of us. She teaches us to believe in ourselves, keep going even when things are tough, and never give up on our dreams. Bongi Msomi is proof that with a strong spirit, we can conquer any obstacle and make our dreams come true.
