Former netball star now controls company finances

Former Namibian National School Union’s under-21 team captain Deseree Karlien Cloete proudly displays her medal haul during an interview with the Youthpaper in 2003. Photos: Conrad Angula

Her disciplined, competitive nature was the reason for former Orlando Pirates and Civics netball star Deseree Karlien Cloete’s success.

Born and raised in Windhoek and the surrounding Khomas Mountains, Cloete made her grand entrance as a netball player for Jan Mohr Secondary School’s team at the age of 12.

“My favourite netball positions were goalkeeper and goaldefence. Many spectators and my teammates will remember me as a disciplined defender who could jump like a spring,” she says.

Cloete was introduced to senior netball in the colours of Orlando Pirates, the club for which her mom also played in her heyday, while still at secondary school, and went on to enjoy a very successful netball career – both in Namibia and South Africa, where she went to study.

The star defender was named Jan Mohr’s Sportswoman of the Year in 1999, and captained the Namibian under-21 netball team in 2003, the same year she deputised as Orlando Pirates captain.

Cloete was also a member of the under-19 national team that participated in the United School Sport Association South Africa Ole All Ages Netball Tournament at Avion Park at Kempton Park, South Africa, in 2001.

“The captaincy first started when I was named vice captain of the Namibian National School Union’s under-19 team in 2002. I also went on to become captain of the University of the Western Cape (UWC) netball club in South Africa in 2004,” she says.

Deseree Cloete (standing fourth from left), seen with her all-conquering Civics netball club teammates. Cloete ended her fabulous netball career with the Bethlehem Girls.

“It was a very proud moment for me when I was bestowed the honour of captaincy of the Western Province (WP) under-21 netball team in 2005. My biggest moment came when I was crowned the 2005 Best Netball Player of the Cecil Esau Residence of the UWC.”

The leadership qualities of the former defender came to the fore after she was appointed as the treasurer of the UWC netball club in 2004, while she was elected chairperson of the university’s netball club in the following year.

“My playing style would be characterised as a defender who was consistent in marking shooters due to fitness, agility and great skill to read the game played by the opposing team.

“These skills brought spectators tremendous excitement and joy,” she says.

Cloete says she was overwhelmed and honoured to be chosen as a national team representative, because the competition was tough.

She praises her coaches and teammates from junior to senior level for their dedication, and describes her final Katutura derby match against bitter rivals Black Africa in 2003 as her most memorable.

“It was the last game I played for my beloved Orlando Pirates before leaving Namibia for studies in South Africa,” she says.

“It was packed with anticipation, preparations and the will to beat our toughest opponents for the last time. As expected, the encounter was absolutely spectacular, and I played my heart out just to make sure we emerged triumphant.”

Cloete says playing netball in South Africa was like a beautiful dream, because she was approached by South Africa to represent their regional teams over and above the university team, which offered her a netball scholarship.

“Despite all those accolades I received in South Africa, as a sportswoman and netball player, there is no greater joy than to be accorded the chance to wear the national colours, and thus to be an ambassador through sport,” she says.

“I felt honoured, challenged and personally motivated to practice well in advance for the national team games held across Africa.

“I have represented Namibia against South Africa, Ghana, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Swaziland and Singapore among others.”

WORK, FAMILY

The retired star is engaged to be married in May, and has a three-year-old daughter.

Cloete is a senior accountant at the Agro-Marketing and Trade Agency.

Former national netball team defence stalwart Deseree Cloete is currently employed as the senior accountant at the Agro-Marketing and Trade Agency. 

“The biggest challenge I face in my job is to delicately balance and control scarce financial resources with continuously changing operational needs, while being mindful of potential risks and compliance to internal and external regulatory instruments.”

She describes her mother as her motivation and inspiration, and says she dreams about starting her own netball development academy.

Cloete says she has offered her professional accounting skills as treasurer to both the Khomas regional netball team and Netball Namibia over the past years.

Her advice to young netball players is that they should always have an academic or business career alongside their netball ambitions.

“This is to ensure that one is able to pursue the love of netball and the need to be knowledgeable and skilled in daily livelihood for a balanced human experience,” she says.

“They need to be disciplined, consistent and committed to realise what they decide and plan for as a player or person in their lives.”

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