Moffat Mungazi
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
MUTARE netball powerhouse, Santa Queens, finished eighth in the just-ended Rainbow Netball League season, and the club leadership believes the maiden top-flight season was a worthwhile learning experience that will spur them to greater heights next year.
Santa Queens, a club from humble beginnings, formed just as a pastime activity for women during the Covid-19 pandemic era, has been in existence for three years, and 2024 was their first season in a top-flight professional netball league.
After a trailblazing season in 2023 when they were still part of a lower division netball league, Santa Queens earned promotion into the elite RANEL.
Bankrolled by Fr8Zone Logistics, which is owned by Stanley and Jean Sally Chiwambutsa, Santa Queens has helped a good number of young women from different suburbs of Mutare to achieve, not only wellness and health through netball, but more importantly a source of livelihood.
Stanley Chiwambutsa admitted that the 2024 season, in which they amassed 56 points to land eight position on the final season log, was an eye-opener for the club.
He said next season they are geared to challenge for top honours.
“Next season we are looking forward to challenge for top honours. We have learnt a lot and we have taken the positives. We look forward to improve on our shortcomings especially everything that is within our control,” he said.
Admittedly, the level of match officiating in the RANEL leaves a lot to be desired, given that the league depends of match officials that are not accountable to them.
Chiwambutsa made a passionate plea to have improved standards of match officiating in order to make the game more exciting as well as keep the interest of the sponsors and fans.
“I do not know what can be done so that officiating can improve. We really should try as much as we can to match standards like those displayed by our neighbours, South Africa.
“Poor match officiating has a detrimental effect to the game, simply because sponsors and fans would not want to continue being part of a game whose match results are usually decided by umpires,” he said.
Correctional Netball Club were the 2024 RANEL champions with a tally of 79 after edging early pacesetters, Glow Petroleum Netball Club, who ended the season on 76 points.
ZRP Mambas Netball Club came fourth with 67 points, while Mutare-based Tenax Netball Club were fourth with 66 points.
