Men’s netball league set for launch

Veronica Gwaze
THE Zimbabwe Netball Association (ZINA) will next weekend launch the Men’s Netball Super League at Stodart Hall in Harare.

The new league’s secretary general Tawanda Kazomba said men have been waiting for this development for a very long time. “We are excited and believe this is a huge success story that we have started to write. So far we have 11 teams that have showed interest and it is our hope that more teams will come and join,” he said.

“Since 2008, we have been having tournaments on a social level and this development by ZINA will go a long way in breaking the gender barrier that has for long existed within the netball fraternity.

“If the women can play football it therefore follows that men can also play netball.” Kazomba called on society to embrace men who play netball.

“The society has been a huge challenge because they have always regarded it as a women’s sport but on the pitch we are not different from the women, in fact we are better because we play a highly physical and fast game.

“We are calling upon schools to also embrace and introduce netball for boys so that we have continuity within the sport. The boy child must be given the chance to play netball,” he said. ZINA president Leticia Chipandu said they committed to seeing the men’s league being a success.

“We at some point in the past had it but it died down due to several challenges but as the Association in charge of the league, we have committed to going out of our way to ensure history does not repeat itself.

“We have encouraged them (men) for some time to create proper structures and play professionally. Congratulations, it has finally happened,” she said.