RANL season preps underway

Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
THE Rainbow Amateur Netball League says they have received positive response from clubs confirming their commitment for the forthcoming season set to take off at the beginning of March.

The league have emphasised the need for clubs to confirm their commitment and ability to fulfil all their fixtures for the season.
This followed the failure by most clubs last year to complete all their games by the end of their 2019 programme.
RANL secretary-general Moses Gukurume said the communication from the clubs was encouraging.

“Almost every team, from the national league, have confirmed their participation for this season and have full sponsorship.
“I think there are two teams that are still to confirm,” said Gukurume.

Two teams — Ruwa and Golden Valley — were relegated from the league that featured 18 teams last year and four were promoted as RANL seek to revert to a 20-member league as they had hoped for at the beginning of the 2019 season.
But two clubs withdrew in the early stages of the season.

The four teams which join the league this season are Green Fuel from Eastern Region, Support Unit and Green Buffaloes, from Northern Region A and B respectively, and Southern Region’s Khami Queens.

“We relegated two teams and promoted four teams. The reason being that last year when we started it was a 20-team league but some failed to compete, that’s the reason why we have said for this season, teams should confirm their commitment early,” said Gukurume.

RANL will hold their general meeting on February 1 in Harare and apart from reviewing the 2019 season, other issues to be deliberated on include their stand-off with the Zimbabwe Netball Association.
“This year is not an elective year, so on our agenda, we are looking at the review of last season and probably look at areas of our code of conduct,’’ said Gukurume.

“Another review is where we are vis-à-vis the issue of ZINA.
“The Sports and Recreation Commission ordered ZINA to have elections. They were given a deadline up until end of January and in relation to that, we want to look at where we are standing and getting contributions from our regions.

“The other issue is the adoption of the calendar of events for 2020 looking at the sponsorship we have at the moment.
“The review of our finances that is our budget from last year, then our pre-season tournament and any other business.’’

The RANL secretary-general said they were still paying out the monetary prizes to last year’s awards winners after some unforeseen delays.