Netball on the rise as PSL organisers hail growing interest

ORGANISERS of the Nedbank Premier Soccer League say the competition is progressing smoothly, with a noticeable improvement in the quality of play and growing interest from spectators.

League spokesperson Innocent Ndiya said they are encouraged by the rising attendance figures and the enthusiasm being shown by both players and supporters.

He said netball continues to grow rapidly in Zimbabwe and is increasingly becoming the sport of choice for girls, while also standing out as one of the fastest-growing disciplines in the country.

“All looks good for netball, it is growing at tremendous pace with interest now beyond the education sector institutions. Beyond those levels there is now more activity than any time before. The numbers keep growing and the quality improving too. We are happy with what is happening, so far so good and we wish the momentum stays high,” said Ndiya.

Ndiya attributed part of the sport’s growth to the introduction of the “bubble” concept in the league’s fixtures.

“We decided that in our fixturing we take all the teams to one venue, give fans a chance to watch as many netball clubs from across the country. That has proved very popular and communities love that. We have basically taken netball to the people and the results have been that many people now follow the sport,” said Ndiya.

Last week, all participating teams converged in Gweru, where they played about 16 exciting matches that kept fans on the edge of their seats.

After the next round of fixtures, the league is expected to break for the off-season.