Seen Here: With decades of experience in coaching, officiating, administration and player development, Regina Ntaye is helping shape the next generation of netball talent through her role as Free State Provincial Manager for PEP mini-Netball under South African Schools Netball. Photo Credit: Supplied
FREE STATE — For Regina Ntaye, netball development is about far more than what happens between the four lines of a court. It is about creating pathways, developing people and ensuring that young players have the right foundations to grow into the athletes, coaches, officials and leaders of tomorrow.
With decades of experience spanning coaching, administration, officiating and player development, Ntaye is now applying that wealth of knowledge to grassroots netball through her role as the Free State Provincial Manager for PEP mini-Netball under South African Schools Netball (SASN).
Her career has taken her through virtually every level of the sport, giving her a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to build a sustainable netball ecosystem.
From nurturing young players and supporting coaches to developing umpires and contributing to the administration of school netball, Ntaye has consistently focused on strengthening the people and structures that underpin the game.
A career built around development
Ntaye’s contribution to netball extends across both provincial and international platforms.
She has been involved in the Confederation of School Sport Associations of Southern Africa (COSSASA) Games in Namibia and Zimbabwe, serving as both an umpire and team manager.
In 2024, she represented SASN at the International Singapore Schools Tournament, gaining further exposure to school netball beyond South Africa’s borders.
These experiences have broadened her understanding of how young players and sporting structures can be developed while exposing her to different approaches to school sport internationally.
Her leadership experience is equally extensive.
Ntaye has served as chairperson of the Mangaung Metro Secondary Schools netball structure, the Free State Schools netball body and the Southern Free State Federation Netball Association.
She continues to play an active role within the sport as a SASN Director of Umpires and executive committee member, a Free State executive member and project convenor, as well as a Netball South Africa Umpires Course Presenter.
Developing the people behind the game
One of Ntaye’s most significant contributions has been in umpire development.
As an NSA Umpires Course Presenter, she conducts courses from Level One to Level Three and undertakes gradings up to national level.
Her work has helped develop officials across the Free State, with some of those officials progressing to competitions including the African Games and international tournaments.
For Ntaye, developing officials is as important as developing players.
A strong sporting system requires competent coaches, qualified umpires and capable administrators working together to create an environment where athletes can flourish.
It is this philosophy that she now brings to PEP mini-Netball.
Starting at the grassroots
As Free State Provincial Manager, Ntaye oversees the development of PEP mini-Netball from the age of seven, helping introduce young girls to the sport during a crucial stage of their physical and sporting development.
Her role includes guiding Primary Chairpersons across the province’s five districts in planning and delivering the four annual festivals supported by PEP.
She also works with provincial umpire convenors, helping strengthen their approach to courses and gradings.
The programme provides young players with an opportunity to experience netball in a supportive environment while learning the fundamental skills of the game.
For many participants, it represents their first meaningful introduction to organised netball.
That early exposure can have a lasting influence, helping children develop confidence, teamwork, discipline and a genuine love for the sport.
Seen Here: Regina Ntaye’s journey through South African netball has been defined by one powerful purpose — developing people and creating opportunities. Today, she is taking that passion to the grassroots through PEP mini-Netball, helping young girls discover the joy of the sport while building the coaches, umpires and structures needed to support their journey. Photo Credit: Supplied
Building more than players
Ntaye sees grassroots development as the starting point for creating sustainable pathways throughout netball.
“My journey in netball has shown me that for the sport to grow, we have to invest in every part of the game, from the young players starting to the coaches, umpires and administrators supporting them.”
She believes PEP mini-Netball provides an important opportunity to take that philosophy directly into communities.
“PEP mini Netball allows us to take that development right back to the grassroots, where we can build strong foundations and give young girls a positive start in the sport,” she says.
“That is what makes being part of this programme so meaningful to me.”
The emphasis on holistic development is central to her approach.
Rather than focusing exclusively on performance, Ntaye believes young players need an environment where they can learn, enjoy themselves and develop at their own pace.
At the same time, the adults around them need the skills and support required to provide quality sporting experiences.
Creating a pathway for the next generation
For Ntaye, the long-term value of grassroots netball lies in creating pathways that young players can follow as they progress through school sport and beyond.
That means ensuring that players have access to opportunities, while coaches, officials and administrators are equipped to support them at every stage.
Her experience across different areas of netball gives her a unique perspective on those connections.
A young player who discovers netball at seven may eventually progress through school competitions, provincial structures and higher levels of the sport. Along the way, that player will encounter coaches, umpires, administrators and mentors who can influence their development.
PEP mini-Netball provides an entry point into that pathway.
Investing in the future of the sport
Ntaye’s career reflects a commitment to building the infrastructure and people needed to sustain netball over the long term.
Her involvement in player development, leadership, officiating and administration has given her a broad understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the sport.
Now, through PEP mini-Netball, that experience is being channelled into the earliest stage of the sporting journey.
The programme’s grassroots focus provides an opportunity to introduce more young girls to netball while creating a foundation on which future development can be built.
For Ntaye, the ultimate goal is not simply to produce better players.
It is to help build a stronger netball ecosystem — one in which players are supported, coaches are equipped, umpires are developed and administrators have the capacity to create meaningful opportunities.
Her work in the Free State demonstrates that developing the future of netball starts long before a player reaches the provincial or national stage.
It starts with a first ball, a first court, a first coach and a first opportunity to fall in love with the game.
And through PEP mini-Netball, Regina Ntaye is helping ensure that more young girls get that opportunity.
