Linda Moreotsene

Gauteng East netball president Christine du Preez is excited about the league that started last week at the Klahong Sports Complex netball courts.

Du Preez's region has of late made its mark in the local netball arena, due to what she thinks is their commitment to having these matches every Wednesday night.

There are 18 teams in the league.

"I thought our opening matches and generally the whole programme was brilliant. It was a good start to the season - we had lots of young players on board," Du Preez said.

She is proud of their talent identification efforts, which have produced players for national teams of all levels.

"It has been good. We have contributed some good players in the national team. Right now, Michelle du Preez is with the under-21 team," Du Preez said.

"In the senior squad, we have had a player such as Mampho Tsotetsi picked for tournaments, so that is encouraging."

Their hard work has not escaped the attention of those in power, and last year the team earned a mayoral award from the Ekurhuleni Municipality.

"It was just to say they had noticed that four of the Thunderbirds players, our team in the National Netball League, had been featuring prominently in the national team," she said.

The region also has a league running in neighbouring Vosloorus, though they have not yet started their matches.