- Claire Terblanche, WP Ladies’ coach and two-time CSA Coach of the Year, advocates for greater media support to grow women’s sports.
- She reflects on her coaching journey and the need for more sponsorship and exposure for women’s teams.
- Terblanche’s future goals include coaching at the international level and leading WP to more victories.
Women’s sports have come a long way – rugby and cricket in particular – but we can do more to grow the awareness of all women’s sports and have more media involved in getting the message out there. The media coverage could potentially bring in more backing in the form of sponsorships and possibly TV time. It takes one company to start supporting and others may follow.
This is how Claire Terblanche, coach of WP Ladies, feels about women’s sport. She also received the Coach of the Year award at the CSA Awards in Johannesburg, for the second year running.
Born in Port Elizabeth, Terblanche moved to Cape Town in 2017.
“Allistair Coetzee (former Springbok rugby coach), gave me my first real chance at playing ‘competitive’ cricket at primary school. When I moved schools, Karl Lokotsch continued that belief in me and in high school, my maths teacher used to ask me to play for the boy’s team (which wasn’t actually allowed). Overall the biggest supporter was my Grandad John Titus who had a massive influence on my career as a player and a coach. My parents continued the support after he (Titus) passed away and I’m so grateful that they stepped into the role that he filled in my life since five years old!” says Terblanche.
She played provincial u-19, SA u-19, Senior Provincial Women and SA Women and captained all at provincial levels and was the vice-captain at the national level.
Long-time coach
She started her coaching straight after high school in 1998, while she was still playing cricket. “It was a really good surprise to have been awarded Coach of the Year for the second year in a row. It was so unexpected and I enjoyed being around some close friends who were truly happy for me. Coach of the year is never achievable by yourself, I have an amazing support staff and they do great work to make sure the players are ready for action. There have been others in my capacity as coach in the provincial space,” she says.
In her youth, she admired Herschelle Gibbs and Jonty Rhodes for what they brought to the team as batters and fielders.
Terblanche played in Australia, the Netherlands, England and Ireland in various stadiums and venues, but Lord’s stands out as one of her best memories.
On her bucket list are quite a few things. Her dream is to coach at an international level anywhere in the world. She also hopes to attend a World Cup as a coach in both u-19 and Senior Women’s setup and this will all happen when her time comes along the oath and plan that God has for her.
“I also played hockey, judo and indoor hockey and have provincial colours in hockey and national colours in judo and indoor cricket. When I am not on the cricket pitch I like golf and fishing, but mostly to braai. What people don’t know about me is that I enjoy Lego, I have a small collection,” she chuckles.
Future
Her goal for WP for the 2024/2025 season is for them to be a team where everyone has a place and space that they belong, moving together for one cause and by doing so, WP to walk away with both format trophies.
“If I change any rule in cricket, it would be a bouncer over the head that’s a wide and not a no-ball. It should be a no-ball and a free hit because at least the batter has a chance of hitting it off the free hit. We had a good pre-season against SWD and we accounted for goals/plans that we wanted to implement and achieve. SWD has a few more spinners and a slower attack, which isn’t always easy to face and that I believe is one of their strengths. Nadine Moodley, Jana Nell and Jane Winster from SWD had done well for them.
“With former Protea captain Dane van Niekerk in the team, she brings experience, knowledge, guidance and a sense of humour and a sense of excellence on the field. Her prowess with the bat is spoken about all over the world and she showed her ability against SWD. Being a female in sport is never easy but through all the struggles, fights and fightbacks, you find your sense of purpose and that makes it all worth it! through sport, you may just find your sense of sense with a balance in life,” Terblanche says.
