Every hero has a first pass. For Phophi Nematangari, hers came at a school sports day in Grade 1. What started as a simple introduction to netball would eventually take her further than she could ever have imagined, from local courts to provincial competition, from the Telkom Netball League to captaining South Africa on the world stage.
Today, Nematangari is one of the brightest young leaders in South African netball. But her story is also a reminder of what Stand Tall: From First Pass to Crown is all about.
Earlier this year, Nematangari led the Baby SPAR Proteas to their highest-ever finish at the Netball World Youth Cup, guiding South Africa into the semi-finals for the first time in the competition’s history. For many players, representing South Africa would be considered the pinnacle. For Nematangari, it remains a moment she is still processing.
“It still feels surreal,” she says. “It’s definitely not by might, but by the spirit of the living God.”
The achievement was years in the making. Long before she was wearing the green and gold, Nematangari was simply a young girl discovering a love for the game.
Like so many of South Africa’s netball players, her journey began in school sport, the place where countless first passes are made every day. What followed was a pathway built through hard work, perseverance and a willingness to keep showing up.
It is the same pathway thousands of young players across South Africa dream of following. It is also a pathway that continues to grow stronger through the structures that support the game, from schools and clubs, to provincial netball, the Telkom
Netball League and ultimately national representation. Nematangari’s journey is proof that those pathways matter.
Before leading South Africa at the Netball World Youth Cup, she was making her mark in the Telkom Netball League as part of the Gauteng Jaguars setup, helping the team secure its sixth league title in 2023.
The league continues to play an important role in preparing players for the highest level of competition, providing young athletes with the opportunity to test themselves against the country’s best. For Nematangari, that experience has been invaluable. The lessons she learned through elite competition have helped shape both the player and leader she has become.
Leadership, however, has never been about personal success alone. It has been about helping others believe. As one of South Africa’s emerging netball leaders, she understands the responsibility that comes with being visible to younger players who now see her as someone to aspire to.
That is why her story is such a powerful reflection of Stand Tall. Not because of the medals or accolades. But because it demonstrates what is possible when talent meets opportunity, support and belief.
While her international achievements have captured headlines, Nematangari remains focused on the journey ahead. Back in the Telkom Netball League, her Gauteng Jaguars side once again fought its way into the business end of the competition despite facing challenges throughout the season.
“Getting back to the top is a goal for us,” she says. “It has been a challenging season, but we are learning a lot from those challenges. We want to reward ourselves by finishing as strongly as possible.”
Her perspective reflects a maturity beyond her years. Because standing tall is not about avoiding challenges, it is about continuing through them.
When asked what Stand Tall: From First Pass to Crown means to her, Nematangari’s answer perfectly captures the spirit of the platform.
“It means stand tall, regardless of the circumstances around you,” she says. “Your crown will come. Just continue standing tall wherever you are. Show up as the tallest version of yourself getting to that crown. It all depends on how you show up.”
For the young girl who first picked up a netball at a Grade 1 sports day, the crown once seemed impossible to imagine. Today, she wears it as captain. For the next generation watching her journey, she is proof that every first pass has the potential to become something extraordinary.
Through Stand Tall: From First Pass to Crown, Telkom is celebrating journeys like Phophi’s, shining a light on the players, coaches, communities and pathways that continue to shape the future of South African netball.
Watch Phophi take on the Stand Tall Shooting Challenge while answering quick-fire questions about her journey here: [https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZ9XImSidQB/?igsh=aWsxMGtudGkyb3Jz]
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