Online Reporter
Veronica Gwaze-Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE Netball Association were at the weekend impressed by the player-turnout for “national team” trials and the immense talent that was on show.
The trials, held at Girls High School between August 9 and 10, were the first steps of part of ZINA’s strategic response to World Netball’s decision to shorten the World Cup cycle from four to two years.
This change will take effect after the 2027 World Cup, prompting ZINA to develop a plan that ensures a steady flow of talent from the junior ranks into the senior national team.
An overwhelming response greeted the trials with at least 100 young players turning out.
However, only 20 players from the initial trials made the cut for the material, which the selectors believe the Gems’ fabric can be made.
National coach Ropafadzo Mutsauki led the talent-scouting trials.
Mutsauki said the trials were designed to identify and nurture potential Gems players and also strengthen the overall competitiveness of national teams.
“It was an impressive turnout. We largely had young girls of ages 19 and below.
“We witnessed immense talent from all over, and it was a mammoth task to eventually pick only 20 from all that talent,” Mutsauki said.
Mutsauki cited that they now have a clearer picture of the kind of side they can assemble for the future.
The short-listed players will be getting into camp on August 17, where they will be joined by the Zambezi Eagles, a recently-established national select team.
The Zambezi Eagles were created earlier in the year, to serve as a primary feeder for the Gems.
To give them the much-needed exposure, the Zambezi Eagles participated in South Africa’s most prestigious national contest, the Telkom Netball League.
“With this upcoming camp, we want to integrate these players into a unified training environment with the hope of enhancing their skills and teamwork.
“This process is essential for our success at higher-level competitions, as well as our long-term vision of rising to be the regional powerhouse,” added Mutsauki.
The technical team is confident about this initiative after recognising the abundance of potentially-gifted players dotted around the country.
ZINA technical director John Banda said the upcoming camp is the beginning of organised preparatory activities.
These are aimed at ensuring Zimbabwe’s netball teams achieve optimal performance in the 2027 World Cup qualifiers.
Major activities lined up include friendly matches later in the month, in September as well as The Celtic Cup Test Series in November and Africa Cup in December.
Some of the friendly matches will see Zimbabwe hosting the Kenya men and women’s national teams while the Celtic and Africa cups will be held in Scotland and Malawi respectively.
“From a development perspective, we now have what we believe is a good pool of players to select from,” said Banda.
“We made the selection platform open to everyone who believes that they can make the grade so we are sure that even those who did not make it are satisfied. . . The platform was open to everyone.
“Players from outside Zimbabwe also came for trials, there was a lot of competition and now we move to the next stage which is to build proper teams from all this talent.”
This pathway is designed to facilitate their development, international exposure and readiness before they graduate into the main national team.
