Siyachitema ‘deserves’ Gems role

Veronica Gwaze-Sports Reporter

THERE are some netball followers who believe Pepetua Siyachitema is the missing link on the senior national team technical bench.

They feel her knowledge of the evolving game, passion and experience could have given the Gems the edge they needed at the recent Netball World Cup.

The Nedbank sponsored Gems finished the tournament in position 13 out of 16, following a gloomy performance that saw them fail to proceed into the second round of the showcase.

Having featured for the Gems for 12 years, 10 of which she was entrusted with the armband, there is strong belief Siyachitema may be part of the answers to the Gems’ shortcomings.

The Gems went on a rebuilding exercise soon after the 2019 World Cup.

As a result, head coach Ropafadzo Mutsauki found himself at the 2023 Netball World Cup with a youthful but inexperienced squad.

Some of the players made their debut at the global showcase while others donned national team colours for the first time at the World Cup Qualifiers in Pretoria, South Africa last year.

Mutsauki is currently assisted by Tatenda Shinya and Tapiwa Chirenda while Agnes Chiroodza is the Team Manager.

And netball enthusiasts argue that Siyachitema’s influence is needed in the team’s coaching department.

Siyachitema became a household name for her high octane performances and brilliant passes which made her arguably the best Gems’ Wing Attacker of all time.

“She has been a player for more than a decade and more than any other player understands the international dynamics of the game,” said Brenda Chipere, a foreign based netball analyst.

“Having played at the previous World Cup and countless other tournaments, her experiences would have been key in moulding the new crop, let us tap into her expertise.”

During her time under former Gems head coach Lloyd Makunde, the gaffer would, in tough situations, leave it to Siyachitema to handle the team.

“Siyachitema is a natural leader, she knows how to pull the team together which is why I would always leave it to her.

“She is good at reading the game and communicating effectively to the team,” said Makunde, following Siyachitema’s retirement in 2019.

In fact, Siyachitema who called time on her career after 122 caps has a rich Curriculum Vitae.

In 2017, she became the first female head coach in local netball.

And in 2021 and 2022 she was crowned the Rainbow Amateur Netball League (RANL) Coach of the Year after guiding her club to glory in the years.

She has also churned out several players who have made the cut into the junior and senior national teams.

Ursula and Nobukhosi Ndlovu, Beaulah Hlungwani, Tanaka Makusha and Paidamoyo Tinoza are some of the Gems coached by Siyachitema.

Lesbane Karaso and Precious Shumba, who both won RANL Player of the Year accolades are also under Siyachitema’s tutelage.

While she was still playing for the Gems, she also had a stint as the Young Gems Assistant Coach, deputising Mutsauki who was later promoted to the seniors’ fold.

She was one of the recent Netball World Cup specialist-analysts and Super Sport commentators, becoming the first Zimbabwean to land such a role.

“When I got the call, I was nervous because I did not know what to expect, I doubted myself but my daughter reminded me that it was my time to live my netball dream,” said Siyachitema.

Siyachitema was also instrumental in the Gems rise to position 13 on the World Netball rankings.

In one of her interviews with The Sunday Mail Sport in 2019 soon after retirement, she revealed that it was her hope to bounce back as one of the Gems’ coaches one day.

And since her departure, her name has not popped up despite the various national team roles that have arisen.

This has left some netball pundits arguing that she may have been deliberately omitted by Zimbabwe Netball Association for reasons that she is affiliated to the ‘splinter’ league.

Siyachitema feels she has never had the opportunity to give back and also share the experience she acquired over the years as a player.

The recent World Cup call, she said, was her dream come true.

“Getting to talk about the sport I love most at such a huge platform meant everything to me, it felt good being appreciated at that level,” she said.

“From what I learnt there, I feel we need to make use of our former national team players, given an opportunity we have a lot to share…even if we come in as guests for the Gems.

“I would also love to share what I learnt on how to analyse and do commentary because it is not just talking about netball but there is a whole lot more to it.

“Also since here in Zimbabwe we have our matches in bubble format, we should introduce the analysis and commentary thing to our games.”

With the Gems expected to be in Uganda in October for the African Championships, this could be the perfect time for the team to bolster their technical bench.