Sinokubonga Nkala
Innocent Kurira, innocent.kurira@chronicle.co.zw
ZIMBABWE’S senior netball team assistant coach, Simbarashe Mlambo, has called for a single national professional league to help improve the sport and identify top talent for the national team.
At present, there are a number of leagues namely the Tacca Super Netball League (TSNL), the Premier Netball League and the Rainbow Netball League (RANL).
Mlambo believes that having multiple leagues is not beneficial to the sport.
“Having these splinter leagues is not helping to improve the game of netball,” said Mlambo.
Mlambo was speaking after the Gems’ successful campaign at the Africa Netball Championships, where they won bronze.
“It’s one of Africa’s most prestigious tournaments, and we were aiming for a podium finish. We got the bronze medal, which is a great achievement,” he said.
Mlambo added that the team’s performance was a positive step towards their goal of qualifying for the 2027 Netball World Cup in Australia.
“We’re on the right path, and we have a good trajectory. However, we need to improve our depth and competition in the domestic league,” he said.
Mlambo emphasised the need for a single, competitive league to help identify and develop top talent.
“We would love to have one league where the girls can compete against each other every week. This would help us to see the best candidates for the national team and improve our overall performance,” he said.
Despite the challenges, Mlambo was positive about the team’s future, highlighting the emergence of young players such as Anifa Luya and Kelly Myambo as the hope for the future.
“These are the stars we’re looking at for the future. They performed well at a big platform, and it’s something to write home about,” he said.
Mlambo concluded by emphasising the need for the team to stay focused and work hard to achieve their goals.
“We need to tidy up our home, make sure the girls are getting enough training, and stay positive. We also need to work on our depth and identify new talent to complement the players we already have,” said Mlambo.
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