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THE Zimbabwe senior netball team is this weekend expected to enter another important phase of their preparations for the upcoming 2023 Netball World Cup.
The players and officials will check in at Girls High School in Harare tomorrow for the first training camp which will involve only the local based players.
This is real progress considering there are only five months left before the tournament gets underway. The 2023 Netball World Cup is slated for July 28 to August 6 in Cape Town, South Africa, with 16 countries, including Zimbabwe, competing.
Zimbabwe will be making their second successive appearance at the global show-piece and are aware of the work they need to put in to be in a position to compete with the world’s best.
They put up a decent show on their debut appearance during the 2019 edition held in Liverpool, England. Obviously, they will be aiming to improve when they return to the global stage.
So good preparation will be key. It is encouraging to note they have already started the processes.
The national team coaches also had a chance to watch some of the players in action over the weekend when they took part in the Premier Netball League pre-season tournament with their respective clubs.
Three months back, the Gems got an opportunity to compete at the Spar Diamond Challenge in South Africa where they played Scotland, South Africa’s senior team and the SA President’s XII.
So far it is the only competition they have had towards getting ready for the 2023 Netball World Cup. But more could be coming as the Zimbabwe Netball Association have engaged South Africa, Malawi and Uganda for friendly matches as part of their preparations.
It looks like a much better preparation compared to the run up to the 2019 edition.
Then, unlike now, their preparations were characterised by chaos from the word go. They started off in Mbare when they lacked virtually everything to get a decent training camp before the corporate world and other well-wishers started flocking in late.
This was after sad pictures and videos from their training camp at a school in Mbare had revealed shocking conditions which they had to put up with in their quest to fulfil their World Cup dream.
Very soon, every passing day will be key because July is not very far in terms of preparing for an international event of this magnitude.
The team’s preparations and participation at the 2023 Netball World Cup require in the region of US$200 000. And this is not a small figure and it cannot be raised overnight considering where our netball is coming from.
The Gems need to be marketed more by the association.
Of course, the national association has been engaging various corporates and stakeholders for sponsorship and so far we are yet to see the finalisation of this crucial area.
Resources are key to success.
Many people will remember how the team had to pull through difficult circumstances and qualify for the 2019 Netball World Cup held in Liverpool, England.
The accommodation was sub-standard, getting decent, nutritious food was also a challenge and they lacked sanitary ware, basic toiletries and other sundries. They also faced nightmares in terms of securing air tickets and decent kits.
As a nation it looked like we needed a push to celebrate the milestone of the Gems first-ever World Cup qualification. We had not taken into consideration that their mere qualification was something to savour for the whole nation. It was the first time they had achieved the feat. Rarely do our sports teams qualify for World Cups.
But then they had to do it the hard way. Their preparations were not ideal because of lack of sponsorship. However, there was a late flurry of sponsors coming towards the beginning of the tournament, and it was helpful.
However, some of the sponsorship came a bit too late as the women had been struggling for a long time in camp.
The local business community usually has the propensity to jump in when the coast is clear, probably to also take advantage of branding and marketing opportunities at the big stage.
But the preparation phase is as important as the tournament itself. You do not have to wait until the team qualifies for a major tournament to untie the purse strings.
For the team to enhance its chances of going far in the 2023 edition, they need comprehensive support. We are quite happy with the gesture shown by Spar Zimbabwe.
The food chain group came at a time when the Gems were still in the running for their second World Cup qualification and the support from Spar Zimbabwe was priceless in the campaign.
The funding from Spar Zimbabwe went towards the provision of a high-performance environment for the Gems targeting direct athlete support, kits, camps and high-performance training support.
The sponsorship was also meant to ensure the team had adequate preparations leading to the World Cup Qualifier that was played between August 20-27 in Pretoria, South Africa, last year.
The Government also chipped in on several occasions with financial backup and there has also been support from business. And guess what? They achieved the feat without any hustles.
And now that they have qualified, more resources could be needed to prepare for the next World Cup finals that will take place in Cape Town, South Africa, from July 28 to August 6, 2023.
The benefits of playing and doing well at such international tournaments cannot be overemphasised.
The 2019 Netball World Cup performances came with a lot of positives in the sport and it also opened doors for individual players, whose talent had hitherto not been showcased at such a big stage.
Captain Felistus Kwangwa was immediately snapped up by English side Surrey Storm and now plies her trade in the prestigious Vitality Netball Superleague in the United Kingdom.
The Zimbabwe flag was hoisted high on the world map with some stunning victories that made the Gems a darling of many. Who doesn’t want to see that again?
Since there are still about five months remaining before the next edition, isn’t it wise to start finding ways of supporting the team and intensifying their preparations?
It is always not good to wait until late. Last minute preparations are never good for anyone. This is the time for the corporate world and other well-wishers to join the Government in supporting the team.
The Zimbabwe netball team are set to play number one ranked Australia, Tonga and Fiji in Group A at the tournament.
Online Reporter