A Witsie Strikes Gold at the Region 5 Netball Games
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Ametisse Bandu represents South Africa at the Region 5 Netball Games
The Region 5 Youth Games took place In Namibia and a proud Witsie had the honour of representing the country in the national netball team at the event. Ametisse Bakenga Bandu was recently chosen to represent the country at the illustrious tournament, an opportunity that she was very excited about. Her dedication and skill opened the door for her and allowed her to showcase her skill at an international level.
Bandu has been playing netball since she was a child, and she currently plays as a goalkeeper or goal defence for the Wits netball first team. Her passion for the game ensured that she always gave it her all and cemented her place as an important part of the university’s team. In the lead up to the Region 5 tournament, Bandu trained extensively with the team as they had to prepare for the University Sport South Africa (USSA) tournament which took place shortly before the Region 5 games. The Region 5 team did not practise together as the majority of the team had been playing with their respective university teams, but this did not stop them from giving their all at the tournament.
“I think our standout moment as a team at Region 5 was that we did not train together as a team like the other teams, but we built connection very quickly on court and worked as a unit,” she said.
This synergy was palpable as the South African team dominated the competition and walked away with a gold medal at the tournament. “It was amazing… it felt like our hard work didn’t go to waste,” she shared.
The path to victory is never straight, but Bandu and her team worked hard to achieve the best results they could. With this experience in mind, she shared her advice to the Wits community and her teammates, “I hope you back yourself. Be strong enough to fail, strong enough to try again and humble enough to learn.”
These are wise words to live by, and they have clearly served Bandu well. 