When Zanele Mdodana last walked onto a Commonwealth Games court, it was in Glasgow in 2014, and she did so as one of South Africa ' s most experienced netball players. Twelve years later, she returns to the Scottish city in a very different role. This time as assistant coach of the Proteas and with an even bigger mission at the 2026 edition( 23 July – 2 August) of the multi-sport event.
After earning 82 international caps between her debut in 2005 and her retirement in 2015, captaining the national side for three years and representing South Africa at three Commonwealth Games( 2006, 2010, 2014), the 44-year-old Mdodana now finds herself guiding a new generation. And unlike her final Games as a player, this trip is about more than experience, it ' s about making history.
South Africa have never won a Commonwealth Games netball medal. Their best finish was fourth in 1998, an agonising two-point loss against England keeping them from a bronze medal. This time, the Proteas have their eyes fixed firmly on the podium, says Mdodana.
" This is my first Commonwealth Games as a coach. In Birmingham( 2022), we came sixth and it wasn’ t the result we wanted. Going into this one, we have played against the top four teams in the world in Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica and England. So we know what the standard is and what it will take.
" We’ ve been able to put together a really strong squad and also a management team that understands the goals. It is about team unity, synergy and a buy-in that I have not had the privilege of experiencing before.”
Over the last couple of years, the Proteas have shown they can compete with the best. There was that memorable draw against New Zealand at the 2023 Netball World Cup in Cape Town, a mere one-goal loss against the same Black Ferns in September last year and a first-ever Test series victory( 2-1) over England earlier this year.
For Mdodana, those performances have reinforced what the squad already believes.
" No matter how challenging it gets, we keep reminding ourselves that this is what we signed up for. It’ s about the hunger. We are tired of being number five in the world. Coach Jenny( van Dyk) says it’ s not about whether it will happen, it’ s a matter of when it will happen. I think it’ s the team that does not throw in the towel, that wants it more than anything else, that is going to get on that podium and bring back a medal."
This growing confidence has also been fuelled by the increasing number of South African players competing in various leagues overseas. More than 20 national players now feature in the likes of the Netball Super League( NSL) in
England and Suncorp Super Netball( SSN) in Australia, bringing valuable experience back into the Proteas’ environment.
" These leagues are all very competitive and we don’ t have that( at home) at the moment. We would love to have a professional league in South Africa, where we don’ t have to have our players go out of the country. We’ ve been able to do well with what we have, but we know that if we moved to a professional league level, we would be a very hard team to beat.”
Preparation for Glasgow has gone beyond tactics and conditioning. Mdodana says the Proteas have built a culture where players, coaches and management are united behind the same vision.
“ Going into Glasgow, it’ s really about breaking down the opposition, identifying weaknesses and exploiting those weaknesses, while strengthening who we are and what we do best. We don’ t want to be a one-trick pony or a predictable team, but a team that the opposition needs to really plan for.”
Mdodana says the strong partnership she shares with head coach Jenny van Dyk has helped lay the foundation for everything the team is aiming for. Built on trust, shared values and a common goal, she believes it has allowed both the coaches and players to thrive.
" The beauty about my relationship with Coach Jenny is that she gives me a voice. We are doing this together and our players can see that. Because it’ s working so well, it has helped us achieve what we have and there is still so much more we can and will do."
For someone who first picked up a netball at the age of 10 in the Eastern Cape before progressing through every provincial and national age-group team, coaching the Proteas has brought a whole new appreciation for the game.
" I’ m seeing the game from such a different perspective. I’ ve grown heaps when it comes to analysis and identifying strengths and weaknesses, and being able to come up with inthe-moment solutions. More than anything, I love it. I absolutely love it. It still wakes me up in the morning.”
Every challenge she faced as a player has helped shape the coach she has become, says Mdodana.
" There were many ups and downs. My journey in netball was never smooth sailing, but I rose above it all. I was resilient and relentless because I knew I had a goal and a dream.”
As she returns to the city where her Commonwealth Games playing career ended, Mdodana hopes this chapter will finish very differently. Not only for herself, but for every player chosen to represent the Proteas.
" I hope people will see the pride in the dress when the players step onto the court in Glasgow, the hunger and the total sacrifice these players have made to carry the hopes of the nation. And that they will do everything in their power to make South Africa proud."
FEATURE
Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games netball pools
Pool A Australia England South Africa Malawi Tonga Northern Ireland
Pool B New Zealand Jamaica Wales Uganda Scotland Trinidad & Tobago
South Africa Fixtures( CAT)
Saturday 25 July 21:00 South Africa v Malawi
Sunday 26 July 16:00 South Africa v Tonga
Tuesday 28 July 16:00 South Africa v Northern Ireland
Wednesday 29 July 21:00 Australia v South Africa
Thursday 30 July 21:00 England v South Africa
Friday 31 July 11:00 11th v 12th Classification Match 1 11:00 9th v 10th Classification Match 2 16:00 7th v 8th Classification Match 3 16:00 5th v 6th Classification Match 4
Saturday 1 August 11:00 Semi Final 1 15:00 Semi Final 2
Sunday 2 August 11:00 Bronze Medal Match 15:00 Gold Medal Match
Proteas squad for the 2026 Commonwealth Games:
Khanyisa Chawane( Captain) Tarle Mathe Kamogelo Maseko Owethu Ngubane Refiloe Nketsa Karla Pretorius Nicola Smith Rolene Streutker Elmere van der Berg Karla Victor Sanmarie Visser Jamie van Wyk www. modernathlete. co. za 23