| Founded | 2014 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Based in | Polokwane | ||
| Regions | Limpopo | ||
| Head coach | Emily Mathosa | ||
| League | Telkom Netball League | ||
| |||
Limpopo Baobabs are a South African netball team based in Polokwane. Since 2014 they have represented Limpopo in the Telkom Netball League. In 2023 they won the Division Two Shield and, after winning a play-off, they were promoted to Division One.
In 2014, Limpopo Baobabs, together with Southern Stings, Kingdom Stars, Mpumalanga Sunbirds and Northern Cape Diamonds, became founder members of Division Two of the Brutal Fruit Netball Cup. [1] [2] [3] Between 2014 and 2016, Baobabs were coached by Cecilia Molekwane. [4] [5] Molekwane subsequently became the president of Netball South Africa. [6]
In 2023, Limpopo Baobabs finished the season as the Division Two Shield winners. Baobabs were exceptional in the round-robin stages, winning 13 out of 15 games to qualify for the semi-final. In the final they defeated Western Cape Tornados 65–40. [7] [8] [9] After defeating Kingdom Stars 55–37 in a promotion/relegation play-off, Baobabs replaced Stars in Division One. [10] [11] At the 2023 Limpopo Women in Sports Awards, Limpopo Baobab were named the Team of the Year and their head coach, Emily Mathosa, was named Coach of the Year. [12] In 2024, Baobabs lost all their Division A matches during the round-robin stages but in a promotion/relegation play-off, they defeated Kingdom Stars 65–40 and, as a result, they secured their spot in the top division. [13]
| Season | Winners | Score | Runners Up | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 [7] [8] [9] | Limpopo Baobabs | 65–40 | Western Cape Tornados | Heartfelt Arena |
| Season | Winners | Score | Runners Up | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 [10] [11] | Limpopo Baobabs | 55–37 | Kingdom Stars | Heartfelt Arena |
| 2024 [13] | Limpopo Baobabs | 65–40 | Kingdom Stars | |
| Years | Captains |
|---|---|
| 2020–2023 | Nthabiseng Mothutsi [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] |
| Coach | Years |
|---|---|
| 2014–2016 | Cecilia Molekwane [4] [5] |
| 2017 | Dumisani Chauke [19] [20] |
| 2018 | Jenne-lee Delport [20] |
| 2020 | Paulinah Thobakgale [14] |
| 2020–2021 | Anna Ledwaba [15] |
| 2022– | Emily Mathosa [9] [16] [18] |
| Coach | Years |
|---|---|
| 2021 | Vasta Nchefu [15] |
| 2022 | Monique Lombard [16] |
| 2023 | Tshimangadzo Munyai [18] |
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