Dr Bronwyn Bock-Jonathan
- Dr Bronwyn Bock-Jonathan
Dr Bronwyn Bock-Jonathan, a famous South African netball player who hails from Mitchell's Plain, was until recently also a lecturer in the Department of Sport Science at the University of Stellenbosch. She is the first black person to represent the South African national team in netball. She is also known for her excellence and commitment to the sporting community not only as a player but also as a coach, official, academic, researcher and a mentor. She was named the South African flag-bearer for Team SA at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester. She then became the captain of the South African National Netball Team for a number of years.
Bronwyn's success started when she was a member of the Stellenbosch University Netball Club from 1994 to 1995. She was selected as the best junior by the University's Netball Club in 1994. She was also part of the netball touring team from South Africa to Britain and Ireland in 1996. She received the top Senior Achievement Award from the SU (Stellenbosch University) club and she was awarded University Honours Colours.
From 2000 to 2002 Bronwyn captained the SA Protea team. She also served as the captain of the national team during a tour in Australia in May 2003, and captained the World Cup Team in Auckland, New Zealand, in November 2007. She has done a lot for Netball in South Africa and abroad. She has played 51 tests, two Commonwealth Games and one World Cup Game. She has attended a number of conferences and presented papers on various topics ranging from decision making in netball, mental toughness in netball, and the use of sports for social change in South Africa, both locally and abroad. She was selected as one of five winners of the Young Researchers Seminar in Austria. She was also selected as a Sportswoman of the Year by Western Cape sport writers.
Bronwyn contributes to the community by encouraging young girls from disadvantaged backgrounds to make sport part of their lives. She also acts as a motivational speaker and she has been a guest at various prize-giving ceremonies at schools. In June-2008, Bronwyn moved to Canberra in Australia to take up a 4-year contract to coach the new Canberra Darters and the ACT Netball Academy. She is supported by netball fans around the world and by her husband, Marvin Jonathan who is also a member of the South African baseball team.
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Page Updated: 16 August 2011
