Free State Crinums are a South African netball team based in Bloemfontein. Since 2014, they have represented the Free State in the Telkom Netball League. They were the inaugural league champions. Between 2014 and 2016, Crinums won three successive titles. In 2024, they won a fourth title.
History Brutal Fruit Netball Cup In 2014, Free State Crinums, together with Eastern Cape Aloes, Gauteng Golden Fireballs, Gauteng Jaguars and North West Flames, became founder members of Division One of the Brutal Fruit Netball Cup. They were subsequently the inaugural league champions. Between 2014 and 2016, with teams coached by Burta de Kock, captained by Maryka Holtzhausen and featuring Karla Pretorius, Crinums won three successive titles. On each occasion they defeated Gauteng Jaguars in the final.
Telkom Netball League Crinums are closely associated with the University of the Free State and their Varsity Netball team, UFS-Kovsies. In 2018, 2019 and 2020, Crinums were a de facto Kovsie team. The vast majority of squad members, including Lefébre Rademan and Khanyisa Chawane, were UFS students. Crinums head coach, Burta de Kock, was also the head coach of the Kovsies. In 2020 and 2023, Crinums were Telkom Netball League finalists again. However, on both occasions they lost to Gauteng Jaguars. In 2024, Crinums, with a team coached by Martha Mosoahle-Samm and featuring a returning Karla Pretorius, won a fourth title.
Finals Division One Season Winners Score Runners up Venue2014Free State Crinums40–36Gauteng JaguarsUniversity of Pretoria2015Free State Crinums61–59Gauteng JaguarsUniversity of Pretoria2016Free State Crinums52–43Gauteng JaguarsOlive Centre, Durban2018Gauteng Jaguars51–43Southern StingsUniversity of Pretoria2020Gauteng Jaguars38–26Free State CrinumsMangaung Indoor Sports Center, Bloemfontein2023Gauteng Jaguars59–51Free State CrinumsHeartfelt Arena2024Free State Crinums47–46Gauteng JaguarsEllis Park Arena
Notable players Captains Years Captains 2014–2017Maryka Holtzhausen2018Maryke Coetzee2019–2020Lefébre Rademan2021Sikholiwe Mdletshe2022–2023Ané Retief
Internationals
Khanyisa Chawane Maryka Holtzhausen Sikholiwe Mdletshe Refiloe Nketsa Karla Pretorius Lefébre Rademan Ané Retief
Coaches Head coaches Coach YearsBurta de Kock2014–2021Martha Mosoahle-Samm2021–
Assistant coaches Coach YearsMartha Mosoahle-Samm201x–2021 Karin Venter2022–
Honours Telkom Netball League Winners: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2024 Runners Up: 2020, 2023
References
External links Free State Crinums on Facebook Free State Crinums on Instagram