Maurice Kambukwe
WINDHOEK- Fifteen highly talented players were scouted and subsequently selected to be part of the national team setup during the just-concluded Debmarine Namibia Senior Regional Netball Championships held in Windhoek last weekend.
The fifteen selected player’s will be infused into the national team setup and form part of the training squad that will later to trimmed down to 12 players that will go represent the country at the M1 Five Nations Tournament in Singapore later in October.
The list of the 15 selected players is dominated by Khomas region with five players, followed by Omusati with four players and then the rest coming from the other regions.
According Netball Namibia (NN) vice-president Rebecca Goagoses, this year’s edition of the Senior Regional Netball Championships was highly competitive and intense when compared to the previous editions.
“It was a different ball game this time around as competition was stiff and it was not business as usual as the results speaks for themselves. We have a new third place finisher which is Kavango East and last year it was Otjozondjupa, we also have a new overall winner Omaheke region, who took the trophy from Khomas region who won it last year, so all that shows you that regions has seriously regrouped and are using different preparations techniques,” said Goagoses.
The tournament was initiated in 2017 by NN with the financial assistance of Debmarine Namibia, with the aim of reviving Namibia’s ailing netball fortunes and accord local netballers from all 14 regions an opportunity to showcase their talents while competing at the highest level.
“With the little resources we have, we are determined to go deeper into the regions and scout for talent through our regional executives, who continue to assists us identify raw talent for such platforms. We can only appeal to those players that didn’t make the cut this time around to remain focus and keep the eyes on the ball as more is still coming,” added the eloquent netball administrator.
The selected 15 players:
Loide Hanyanya (Khomas region), Toetsie Tjihero (Omaheke region), Venjekerera Maharero (Khomas region), Evariza Haufiku (Oshana region), Levy Mauano ( Khomas region), Selma Shikukumwa (Kavango East region), Aina Matias (Omusati region), Martha Shaambeni (Omusati region), Mwale Mulenamaswe (Khomas region), Taimi Sheelongo (Oshana region), Tilly Kamati (Khomas region), Kakunandunda Murangi (Omusati region), Victoria Hasheele (Omusati region), Valery Xaragas (Otjozondjupa region) and Caroline Tjaveondja (Otjozondjupa region).