Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube, Zimpapers Sports Hub
LETICIA CHIPANDU believes Zimbabwe’s netball future is in safe hands. The long serving Zimbabwe Netball Association president says a solid grassroots system and national structures have laid the foundation for sustained success.
Chipandu spoke at the season ending bubble hosted by Imbizo Queens at White City Stadium, where Zimbabwe Defence Forces were crowned champions after an entertaining campaign. Both Chipandu and Zina technical director John Banda praised the competition’s high standards and the progress made this season.
“We do have well structured and manned development structures,” said Chipandu. “We have the Under 17 national team, which went to Cossasa and won gold. We also have Under 14s, who play national tournaments from zone to inter-provincial level. Even the Under 17 league is our development platform.”
She credited the vibrant schools system for nurturing talent early. From district to national finals, primary schools competitions are producing technically sound players, thanks to qualified coaches and match officials guiding them from the start.
Chipandu said the pathway doesn’t stop there. Schools, colleges and universities all feed into the national setup, ensuring a continuous flow of talent into the Gems, Zimbabwe’s senior women’s team.
The Zina boss also praised the growth of the domestic game through the two national leagues, the Nedbank Premier Netball League and the Rainbow Netball League, backed by Glow Petroleum. “We have teams coming from different parts of the country,” she said. “The Nedbank League has been very successful since its launch three years ago. We’re getting most of our national team players from it.”
Zimbabwe boasts two active national teams, the Gems and the Zambezi Eagles. The Eagles recently impressed in South Africa’s competitive Telkom League, recording wins against top clubs and earning praise for their style and resilience.
Chipandu said those competitions don’t just build skills but also shape character. “What they learn in netball translates to daily life operations as they have different roles to play on the pitch, and they do so in life,” she said.
Her excitement is growing ahead of a crucial tour to the United Kingdom, where the Gems will play Scotland and other top sides in a tri-nations event in Wales. The fixtures will count towards the 12 match requirement needed for international ranking. Zimbabwe sits 13th in the world rankings.
“It is encouraging that the Zambezi Eagles beat top South African sides. It speaks of our high standards of netball,” she said.
Across the country, the game is booming. From open grounds to urban courts, girls and women can be seen in action every weekend, a sign of how far the sport has come. Chipandu also applauded the growth in spectatorship and the strong showing by uniformed service teams that competed in Botswana and Namibia.
