Online Reporter
Veronica Gwaze in NAIROBI, Kenya
ZIMBABWE netball team technical advisor Fred Mugerwa is impressed with the Gems’ quick response in grasping his coaching concepts, which he believes will stand them in good stead as they look to succeed at the 2027 World Cup qualifiers.
The African Netball Championships, which are serving as the continent’s qualifiers for the World Cup, are being staged in Nairobi, Kenya.
Mugerwa was roped in to boost the team’s technical bench, spending a fortnight in camp in Harare before returning to his home country, Uganda. The veteran coach later linked up with the team in Kenya, where they are counting down to the start of the qualifiers, which get underway tomorrow and end on September 26.
It will run concurrently with the Men’s Africa Cup.
Zimbabwe, eyeing a World Cup slot, open their campaign against Botswana in the 10-team tournament with the Gems’ clash against their Southern African rivals scheduled for 2pm tomorrow.
Ugandan tactician Mugerwa, credited with transforming his country’s senior side — the She Cranes — into a continental powerhouse, has over the past weeks been working with the Gems intensifying their preparations for the qualifiers.
Mugerwa has, during the training sessions, been preaching a possession-based philosophy, while maintaining the Zimbabwean style of play. He has also urged the Gems to prioritise ball retention over rushed forward play.
“As a coach, I believe in holding on to the ball instead of rushing it forward; this is the philosophy that has taken my teams thus far,” he said.
“We would rather take longer to reach the shooting circle so that we get there safely than to rush the passes and commit errors or get intercepted.
“This is part of what we have been working on-possession-based netball, making sure that we are in the right position at the right time and letting the ball move correctly so that we reach our end and get a perfect goal.”
The Zimbabwe Netball Association recently opened the door for a significant chunk of younger locally-based players to prove themselves and claim spots in the senior team.
Mugerwa said he is satisfied with how quickly the youthful squad has adapted to the new philosophy and the demands of the game.
