tawandamusarurwa
Veronica Gwaze
ZIMBABWE Netball Association (ZINA) president Leticia Chipandu has described
their partnership with Nedbank as a huge step towards ensuring the Gems are primed
for the World Cup.
The netball national team has been in camp ahead of their second successive appearance at
the World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa.
On Friday, they got just the tonic they needed when Nedbank poured US$50 000
and also unveiled kits of a similar value. In so doing, the bank became the major
sponsor of the World Cup-bound team.
“It is like watching the netball dream come true. We waited for this moment for a long
time and we thank Nedbank for coming on board at such a time,” said Chipandu.
The timely sponsorship, she said, will be able to cater for the most critical expenses —
kits, travel and accommodation. Zimbabwe are targeting a top-four finish at the World Cup.
“The deal comes as a game changer. Of course, the girls have been ready, but now we are taking it a step further because the fact that we had nothing in our coffers stalled us
in a big way,” she added.
ZINA’s budget for the World Cup campaign is estimated at US$234 000. They hope more sponsors will come on board.
After slugging it out in training for a month, the Gems have taken a short break.
Nedbank’s head of marketing, client experience and corporate affairs Hope Marere exhorted more corporates to assist the team.
The signing ceremony for the deal, which took place at the Stodart Netball Complex, was attended by Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) representatives, Zimbabwe Olympic
Committee (ZOC) officials, Nedbank Zimbabwe managing director Sibongile Moyo, the
Gems, Premier Netball League (PNL) chairperson Sarudzai Chapo, as well as learners
drawn from schools in Mbare.
The World Cup is pencilled in for July 28 to August 6. The Gems are in a tough group that
includes 11-time World Cup champions Australia, Fiji and Tonga. Unlike in the build-up to
their maiden World Cup appearance in 2019 in Liverpool, when they were hamstrung by acute financial challenges, this time, the team have less to worry about.
A squad of 30 players, including captain Felisitus Kwangwa and Joice Takaidza, is expected to regroup during the first week of May. Gems assistant coach Tatenda Shinya revealed that some international friendly matches against Uganda, Malawi, Wales and England have been lined up.
“Malawi will be coming to Zimbabwe. We will then visit Uganda, before taking on England and Wales in South Africa, just before the World Cup,” said Shinya.
“Our aim is to make an impact and possibly conquer the World, and Nedbank came at the right time; now, everything lies in our hands. “Soon, we will be back in camp . . . There is
nothing to worry about anymore; we can now concentrate on bringing the desired results.”
Stand-in captain Sharon Bwanali saluted Nedbank for taking the lead in giving the Gems an opportunity to focus on their preparations.
“It is such a re-energising development that we have dreamt of for years.
“I was part of the 2019 World Cup squad and I recall with painful memories our preparations,” she said. “We had no resources; in fact, we simply trained out of passion but we were not even sure if we would be able to travel to Liverpool or not until the eleventh hour.
“We are excited with this partnership. It feels good that we have people who appreciate and are willing to seed into our team . . . We will not disappoint them.”
Online Reporter