The Stone That the Builders Rejected

Out of sight, out of mind. That is the lived netball story of former Dinaletsana player Sarona Hans.

‘Sasa,’ as Sarona is affectionately called, shot to prominence as the captain of the Botswana under 21 netball team which competed at the Gaborone 2017 Netball World Youth Cup.

A versatile and athletic player capable of deployment across the court, her future as a senior netball team seemed cast in stone. That was however not to be. While she never quit the sport, she became a forgotten player.

For over six years, Sasa, who was active in the Australian indoor netball circuit waited for a call to come and represent the nation she loves. “Representing your country is an honour. That is what I have always and still want to do,” she says.

That call however never came. Sidelined, rejected, dejected and frustrated, she wanted to quit the sport. Her love for the sport, as well as the encouragement from friends and family however kept her going.

In the years that followed, she teared through the Queensland netball indoor circuit. And things began to happen. In 2022, she went for Queensland indoor netball state selections and got a nod. She then went on to get consecutive selections to represent Queensland.

“Interestingly, in my second appearance for Queensland, I was elected Player of the Series. Then in 2025, I got selected again and that is when I went for national selections.”

Then, the unthinkable happened. The lass from Botswana got a nod to wear the green and gold of Australia. This past month during the World Indoor Netball Association (WINA) Indoor Netball Tri-Series 2026, while wearing the colours of Australia, Sasa put a performance to remember. Her performances during the tri-series earned her two awards.

The stone that the builders at Botswana Netball Association (BONA) had rejected, had become a cornerstone for Australian indoor netball success. This raised serious questions for BONA to answer. How could a player ‘deemed’ not good enough for Botswana, be good for Australia?

Even more surprising, this happens at a time when Botswana netball is struggling to build a competitive team of its own. Reached for comment on the future of Sarona, BONA Public Relations Officer (PRO) Regent Pitso said the former Dinaletsana starlet still had a future in the national team.

“We will see her in the national colours again when she is available when called. She was called yes and she has personal commitments that hindered her,” the BONA PRO.

While not being implicit, the BONA PRO inferred that Sarona failed to honour national call up. “So just like any other player we monitor their performance and invite them to the national team. If they honour the call, thanks God. If they don’t, then we move forward and invite them again.”

“We keep inviting them for national team duties but it’s up to the athlete really and we do not have control over that,” he explains.

When asked why she did not show up for the national team, Sarona pointed that she would never turn down national team call-up. “I will always put Botswana first. My ultimate goal is and has always been to be in the senior national team,” she says.

Why then did she not honour the national call? She never got a proper call-up to the national team. “To their credit, BONA did reach out. The first time was when I was going for Australian indoor national selections in 2025. A certain Baitshepi called asking for my videos to show to the current coach which I sent. That was the end of it. Everything went silent. I believed, may be the coach was not impressed.”

“The second time was while I was in South Africa with the Australian team this past month. I got a text asking if I was coming to South Africa, to which I said yes. I was then asked if I could join the senior national team selection camp after the tournament.”

“Unfortunately, that would have been impossible. It was a last-minute call-up. I have my work as a pilot and any call up to the national team requires that a request be sent to my employer. That was never done. Besides, I had already been granted time to play for Australia in South Africa.”

In the meantime, Sasa says she will keep waiting for the national team call-up. She still wants to wear the colours of Botswana. It is her dream. Her ultimate goal.

“It saddens me to see my country struggle while I am fully aware that I can help it. But any call up depends on BONA. They decide whether I am needed,” she says.

The post The Stone That the Builders Rejected first appeared on Sunday Standard and is written by Botlhale Koothupile