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Veronica Gwaze Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Under-21 National Netball team will be banking on Goal Shooter Thandazile Ndhlovu when they take part in the 2025 Netball World Youth Cup Qualifiers.
Scheduled to take part in Pretoria, South Africa between March 17-24, the Young Gems will be hoping to grab one of the four slots to qualify for the global showcase.
The finals are slated for Gibraltar at the Tercentenary Sports Hall and Europa Sports Park from September 19 to 28, next year.
If they make it, the Tapiwa Chirenda-led side will make a second appearance at the Netball World Youth Cup after the first one in 2017, in Botswana.
With a 30-player squad already in camp, Chirenda is being assisted by Simbarashe Mlambo and Sibonginkosi.
And Ndhlovu, the lanky GreenFuel star who has on various occasions flirted with the senior national team will be expected to shoulder the burden for the Young Gems.
The towering star who stands at 1,86 metres will be using her accuracy under the ring and experience to stabilize the team.
“I am happy that I made it onto the provisional squad, the trials were tough, imagine talent from all provinces converging on one court,” she said.
“I hope to make it on to the final squad; being an elite league player and often camping with the seniors, fans have eyes on me.
“However, I will not be looking at myself differently in any way from the rest of the team, no one is guaranteed a bib, we all have to work for it.
“I will also use what I learnt from the seniors to my team’s advantage, our sights are already at Gibraltar.”
As a Shooter, Ndhlovu holds one of the most important and sometimes frustrating positions on the court.
Yet she always has her way of bullying the opponent, whenever she puts on her bib.
The budding star made her Young Gems debut in June 2022, at the Confederation of Southern African Netball Associations (COSANA) in Malawi.
At the tournament, Ndlovu left a mark as the Shooter of the Tournament when the then Simbarashe Mlambo-led charges brought home gold.
“I got into netball voluntarily, based on my height but never imagined myself this far someday, I believe that this is just the beginning,” she said.
The former Mawabeni Secondary School player acknowledges that her love for netball was then developed during her stint at Sobukazi High, where she had gotten an Advanced Level scholarship based on the sport.
To perfect her art, she would attend training sessions with her sister Silothando who played for Bulawayo-based side Gold Reef at the time.
It was her performance at the COSANA Tri-nations that then captured GreenFuel attention and gave her a crack into the Premier Netball League.
Camping with the seniors, she says, has taught her a lot about the game and contributed vastly to her development as a player.
“Because of age, I used to censor myself but later realised that those are rare opportunities that any player dreams of hence I had to take advantage,” she added.
“The qualifiers will be a test of character; given the chance, I will play my heart out because this is what I do best.
“However, being a team sport, it should not be for personal glory, we play with and for the team.
“We also need all the mental strength; I just look forward to the best experience at the qualifiers.”
Provisional Squad
Thandazile Ndlovu (GreenFuel Queens), Gomezngani Luwe (Lethal Angels), Vimbai Chibi (Harare City Queens), Loveness Mhike (Lobengula Queens), Sharon Nkiwane (Haven Stars), Nikki Mandeya (Green Fuel Queens), Lubelihle Khumalo (GreenFuel Queens), Ruvimbo Pawandiwa (Filchrist Queens), Faith Mutero (Green Fuel), Sharon Mugwara (Platinum Queens), Natasha Rwambiwa (Green Fuel Queens), Esther Kasiku (Platinum Queens), Thandiwe Mashore (ZDF Queens), Charlotte Ndlovu (Filchrist Queens), Beyonce Ndaradzi (Green Fuel Queens), Queen Mubaira (Stormers Queens ), Yemurai Seven (Green Fuel), Amackella Phiri (Rio Zim Queens), Angel Katyamakwara (Flow Angels), Sharon Masilela (Sobukhazi High School ), Tracy Gama (Bulawayo, clubless), Leona Muposvo (Beitbridge Border Stars) , Mellisa Nyaboni (Glow Petroleum Queens), Nyaradzai Muzondiwa (Platinum Queens), Rufaro Chindamu (Mhondoro, clubless), Agness Chidhakwa (Rio Zim Queens)
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