QUICKFIRE Q & A
MEET NETBALL SA’ S NEW MAN IN CHARGE – Adam Brooke
In a sport largely driven by women, Netball South Africa’ s new CEO is ready to bring a fresh perspective to the role. Meet Adam Brooke, who chatted to Modern Athlete about leadership, growth and his plans for the most popular women’ s sport in the country …
Q1.
You’ re stepping into a sport you haven’ t been directly involved in before. What attracted you to the role?
I have always been incredibly passionate about sport, whether participating or spectating, and I am an extremely proud South African. Netball is definitely one of the top sports in South Africa and it is growing daily. The opportunity afforded to me to lead the Netball SA team was just one that was too big to pass up.
Q2.
What would you say are your three main priorities to strengthen the sport?
We need to continue to work alongside our existing partners and sponsors, while at the same time introducing new partners to the sport … Secondly, in order to achieve success, the teams need to be playing against the best on a more regular basis. We will most certainly be investigating how we can play against the likes of Australia, New Zealand, England, and Jamaica more frequently. Lastly, the development of talent is also a top priority. We will be collaborating with the schools and universities to harness and develop our talent, while also giving those who may not otherwise have the opportunity of being discovered a window to reach their goals and dreams.
Q3.
What do you think Netball South Africa have got right in the last few years, and what could be a whole lot better?
Without a doubt, the success on the court has been a real positive for Netball SA. Jenny [ van Dyk ] and her coaching team are most certainly getting the best out of the squad and that could not have been more evident than during the recent series win against the English. In terms of doing things better, I think a major focus for me will be going back to the basics in terms of the day-to-day governance and operations of the sport and building it up from there …
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Q4.
Netball has a massive participation base in South Africa. How do you see the organisation harnessing that to grow the sport at grassroots and elite level?
Netball SA already has an incredible team managing the schools programme and I will look to work alongside this team very closely … One thing that South Africa is not short of is exceptionally talented sportspeople. We just need to refine how that talent is discovered and nurtured... I believe the players within the current women’ s national team are testament to this, with a large number of the squad showcasing their skills in the best leagues around the world... This to me is exceptionally exciting for the future of netball in South Africa.
Q5.
Can you tell us a little bit more about yourself – your professional background and what sports you play?
For the last 20 years, I have been involved in sports events, marketing and operations of major sporting events around the world, including but not limited to the FIFA World Cup, the Olympic Games, and the Tour de France. I have also worked alongside many of the country’ s leading teams... On a personal note, I played football for close on 40 years of my life... I have also run three Comrades Marathons and will be returning to the starting line in Durban in June 2026.
Photo courtsey of Adam Brooke- NSA