adminVeronica Gwaze
Sports Reporter
FROM a novice umpire who left his homeland as a frustrated and dejected man, Gabriel Simion has risen to become Zimbabwe’s first Grade A+ netball umpire.
The lanky 33-year-old also becomes the first Zimbabwean to officiate at one of South Africa’s leading netball leagues, the Telkom league, underway in Bloemfontein.
Simion is also one of the umpire graders and a course presenter in South Africa.
That feat makes him the country’s highest-graded umpire, followed by locally-based Agnes Chiroodza, who holds a B class officiating qualification.
Despite being frustrated into leaving Zimbabwe, Simion’s biggest dream is to raise the country’s netball status.
“It was not easy; I will not say much on that, but imagine how it feels being frustrated out of your home by your own people?” he said. “Let us say maybe it was actually a blessing in disguise, look at how far I have gone now. No hard feelings.
“SA being a global netball powerhouse, I get to learn a lot because I have all the access and I am actually willing to come and help my country if they allow me.”
The Kadoma-born star’s romance with netball dates back to his Martin Spar Primary School days.
He later moved to Vimbai High School in Norton. Back then, netball was predominantly a girls’ sport and Simion would spend hours watching the girls play.
He naturally mastered the art.
When his family heard that he spent most of his free time watching netball, he was grounded. That, however, did not stop him, as he would devise a plan every day to ensure he spent some time with the netballers, who had become his friends.
“The girls had become my friends. I enjoyed watching the game, so you would find us singing and cheering our school team. Back at home, no one wanted to hear of it. My elder brother would beat me out of it, but nothing can hold back your passion; they simply had to deal with it.”
Later, Simion enrolled at North-West University in South Africa, where he graduated with a degree in accounting.
It is during those days that in 2012 he did his Level One umpiring course at Mafikeng.
The following year, he advanced to Level Two and Three before returning home to join the Zimbabwe Netball Association (ZINA).
Having shown his potential while officiating at some local games, in 2014 he was appointed to handle the Region 5 Games in Bulawayo.
“That was one of my darkest moments. So much happened between me and ZINA in a short time and the scars are still there, although the wounds have healed.
“That was my breaking point, so I made up my mind to leave and I remember the day I returned to South Africa in 2015 — it felt like I left part of my heart back home.”
Upon his return to South Africa, Simion would further his studies at Fort Hare University while continuing with umpiring.
In 2017, he acquired a B+ umpiring qualification and also became a fully qualified umpires’ assessor and grader.
Last year, he made his debut as an umpire at the sixth edition of the prestigious Telkom Netball League.
The league, which usually runs for two weeks, sees provincial teams from across South Africa converging at one venue and battling it out for the title.
Last year, there were 12 teams in the league, with the 12th being the President’s Stars, which was a male-only “national” team competing in exhibition matches.
Zimbabwe’s Gems, who were preparing for their maiden 2019 Vitality Netball World Cup at the time, were also part of the tournament.
Simion got another appointment to officiate in the Varsity Cup in August last year before he was tested for Africa grading in Polokwane in September, where he passed for an Africa A award. This year, he was given the honour to umpire at the Telkom league.
“It felt great to be among my people at the tournament, let alone knowing they (Gems) were on their way to the World Cup.
“Despite officiating in a foreign land, I am actually proud to be Zimbabwean and look forward to returning home one day.
His brother Stephen still remembers the days he used to punish Simion for taking a liking to netball.
“You know those days we thought it was somehow taboo to have men in netball. We did not think the sport would actually be his life.
“When he left home, we were all heartbroken because of the circumstances that surrounded his departure, but I am happy he has made a name among giants,” Stephen said.
ZINA secretary-general Barbra Rice was reluctant to comment on the “alleged” rift between the association and the umpire.
“We actually feel great; that’s a great achievement for him,” Rice said.
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