The Abu Dhabi Eagles hope the work of their top South African netball coach will help them avenge last year's defeat in the Inter-Gulf Championship.
Dubai A ended Abu Dhabi's two-year hold on the trophy by winning last year's final 14-7, and the sides are again expected to be the two to beat when 16 teams from the Gulf meet in Al Ain on Friday and Saturday.
The Eagles say they have an edge over teams from Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Fujairah and Al Ain after receiving expert coaching from Sandra Du Plessis, who was head coach of the University of Stellenbosch for six years and was short-listed to coach the national teams of Scotland and Singapore.
Du Plessis has been working with the team on a volunteer basis while visiting friends in the country and will leave by the end of the month.
"Sandra's enthusiasm and passion for netball coaching is one of the strongest I have ever seen," said Kellie Pomeroy, a player and chair of the Abu Dhabi league.
"Her wealth of knowledge and experience is breathtaking, and although she has only been here for a short space of time she has had such a positive impact on each person she has worked with."
De Plessis has been coaching the team since January in preparation for this tournament.
"Sandra is an exceptional coach. She not only instils new technicalities of netball but through her passion for netball it motivates each individual as a player and the players as a team," Chante De Villiers said.
"It has been a tremendous experience and honour to work with her.
"She has crawled into many of our hearts and without a doubt will be missed. We look forward in making her proud this weekend."
Keren Persen and Melanie Waugh, are the key players in the Eagles' A team, and Du Plessis is confident they can send her off on a winning note.
"I am extremely proud of everything the players have put in, as they have worked hard for two months, and we are looking forward to a great weekend of netball," Du Plessis said.
"I feel that if you believe in yourself and have dedication, pride and never quit, you'll be a winner. The price of victory is high but so are the rewards."
Abu Dhabi will be fielding three women's netball teams, with the Abu Dhabi Oryx and Abu Dhabi Ravens taking part in the competitive tournament and the social tournament, respectively.
Players were selected from teams which compete in the Abu Dhabi Netball League, in which 258 women play on a weekly basis on the purpose-built netball courts at Sheikh Zayed Sport City in Abu Dhabi.
The Inter-Gulf tournament serves to bolster the sport across the region, with the Abu Dhabi team hoping to attract Emirati and other nationalities to the sport.
There have already been a few inquiries from Emiratis about joining the seasonal league.
The UAE does not have a national team and Abu Dhabi had to decline the opportunity to take part in the World Championships in Singapore.
The issue of the national team will be raised at the next Inter-Gulf Committee meeting.
RESULTS
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
LIVERPOOL%20TOP%20SCORERS
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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The drill
Recharge as needed, says Mat Dryden: “We try to make it a rule that every two to three months, even if it’s for four days, we get away, get some time together, recharge, refresh.” The couple take an hour a day to check into their businesses and that’s it.
Stick to the schedule, says Mike Addo: “We have an entire wall known as ‘The Lab,’ covered with colour-coded Post-it notes dedicated to our joint weekly planner, content board, marketing strategy, trends, ideas and upcoming meetings.”
Be a team, suggests Addo: “When training together, you have to trust in each other’s abilities. Otherwise working out together very quickly becomes one person training the other.”
Pull your weight, says Thuymi Do: “To do what we do, there definitely can be no lazy member of the team.”
South Africa squad
: Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wkt), Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen (wkt), Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Duanne Olivier, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.
The%20Roundup
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
