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Ellina Mhlanga–Senior Sports Reporter
GEMS skipper Felisitus Kwangwa has said as they shift focus to the 2023 Netball World Cup, a strong financial support base will be key in getting the team ready.
The senior national team has been on a rebuilding exercise since last year following the departure of some senior players after the 2019 Netball World Cup in Liverpool, England.
They had a two-year break from competition due to Covid-19 before returning to competition last year when they attended the Pent Series and Africa Cup in Namibia.
Several new players have joined the team and it looks promising following the team’s qualification to next year’s Netball World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa.
However, Kwangwa said friendly matches will be a key platform for the upcoming players to gain experience ahead of the global showpiece.
“I can say as a team this time around we managed to sail through. But the team now comprises new faces or new players and for a player to be better (it’s through playing). The more you play, the more you become better or the more you become experienced.
“You can’t get the experience when you are not doing what you are good at. So if we are to have friendly matches that’s when they (the new players) can boost their confidence and also know where their weaknesses are as an individual.
“And when we come together as a unit or as a team, we know each other’s weaknesses. Team rebuilding is a long process, it’s something that won’t happen in a day or overnight… As players, we don’t really know each other, which is something that we need to work on before the 2023 World Cup,” said Kwangwa.
Zimbabwe will be making their second consecutive appearance at the Netball World Cup as the Gems continue to make strides and raising the bar high.
Although there have been some positives in terms of corporate sponsorship with the likes of Spar Zimbabwe and National Foods, among others, supporting the team, more still needs to be done for the team.
The Gems received US$11 000 from the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation to be shared among the 15 players and officials who were recently on duty in South Africa for the qualifiers.
“We are very happy that the nation is quite proud of what we have managed to bring back home. It really means a lot to us because this is our job, this is our office and if we don’t get anything out of it, it means nothing to us at the end of the day.
“As a team we are so excited that we managed to make it to the Netball World Cup for the second time and we just hope that this is not going to be the last time, it’s going to be continuous,” said Kwangwa.
The Gems captain underscored the importance of starting preparations early.
“The preparations are very important because now the competition that we are going to, is a stage higher or there is actually more competition as compared with the one that we have had already.
“So as a team we need as many friendlies as possible maybe starting this year because we can’t say we will start preparing six months prior to the event. And I think for us to be able to play as many friendly matches as we can it means we need a strong financial support (base),” said Kwangwa.
Gems goal attack Tafadzwa Matura, who picked two player of the match awards at the qualifiers, is hopeful of the final tournament.
“Going to the qualifiers I knew I had to work hard and I was really looking forward to it and giving my best. And we worked hard during the preparations targeting to get results and we managed to do that.
“My desire was to be part of the team that would qualify the country and I am grateful to God for fulfilling my wish.
“Going forward I want to work harder and I am hoping we will bring good results,” said Matura.
Sixteen countries will compete at the 2023 Netball World Cup. So far 10 countries, including four from Africa, Uganda, South Africa, Malawi and Zimbabwe, have qualified.
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