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Shelly Guni Sports Reporter
IT started as a routine community initiative where women, mostly unemployed, from Zvishavane would meet regularly to play social netball while seeking ways to empower themselves.
The initiative would later give birth to Platinum Queens; a netball club that has since developed to become an escape route from poverty to most girls in the Zvishavane community.
For the five years that it has been in existence, Platinum Queens already helped to change the lives of many young girls.
Last weekend, they were crowned inaugural Premier Netball League (PNL) champions, having gone unbeaten in 40 matches, just a few months after winning the PNL launch tournament in Bulawayo, which was used as a case study for the safe resumption of the league.
And while several people have been involved in the success of Platinum Queens, one person who played a leading role is team manager, Patience Duri, who even went out of her way in the formative stages.
And speaking after the team’s recent success, Duri reveals how the sport has inspired women to take it as a full-time employment.
“The girls now understand that netball is a career and they give it their all,” Duri told The Herald.
“They also want to make names for themselves. And, as an executive, we have also taken it upon ourselves to support their dreams.
“The early years, we really wanted to bring life to the mining town through changing the lives of the girls in the community.
“We then realised a deeper passion from the girls, they wanted to grow and they were hungry, became more competitive, so as a team we began to plan on the direction we wanted to grow in,” she says.
To Platinum, there are four words in their vocabulary.
These four words, thus according to Duri, have been the teams’ secret to success.
“Family, passion, dedication and hard work,” she says.
After finishing second in 2019, Platinum had set sights on the title the following year, however the target was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic which saw all sporting activities being put on halt.
Action only resumed in September this year after the launch of the PNL. And to show their seriousness, the Zvishavane-based Queens won the league’s launch tournament trophy after a nail-biting final match against bitter rivals ZDF Queens.
“We then set a target for 2020 which was to make history. However, Covid-19 came and 2020 was disrupted and we carried the target to 2021.
“It was difficult and trying to get the players to be fit and ready was a mammoth of a task, but the girls had their individual routines which they followed and we were always closely monitoring them and advising when we could.
“But obviously because of the playing format it was difficult shaping up.”
Platinum were promoted to the elite league in 2016, the same year they were formed. They, however, went on to finish in position 10 in the 2017 Netball Super League Season.
In 2018, they won the RANL launch tournament trophy after defeating Glow Petroleum in the final that was held at White City in Bulawayo.
That same year, they went on to finish in third position, but before that, they had won bronze during the RANL Heroes Cup that was held at Morris Depot.
They were named the RANL most disciplined team two times in a row.
In 2019, they were the silver medallists.
“As a club we are happy with the progress, having picked up a number of accolades over the years. Also, having some of our players making it to the national team was a huge achievement.”
Recently, six players from the club were named in the provisional squad of the senior national netball team that participated at the Pent Series and Africa Netball Championships held in Namibia.
Lynnette Tanhira, Priscilla Ndlovu, Nomagugu Makhalima, Elizabeth Mushore, Claris Kwaramba and Pogress Moyo were named in the Gems squad.
However, Makhalima and Mushore withdrew due to injuries.
The remaining players made it into the final squad where they all had a decent performance.
The success story could, however, not be complete without the help of the team’s partners who Duri says: “The road hasn’t been an easy one but we are grateful for the support we got from FC Platinum Holdings and our other partners. We couldn’t have done this without their support. To our fans, thank you. Let’s continue walking this journey together.”
Online Reporter