As human beings, we were primarily created to live in groups and there are some very important ways in which we depend on each other for our ultimate survival.
Nonetheless, inter-dependence becomes destructive when people become hopelessly too dependent on others.
Experience teaches that as long a person has sufficient moolah in their pocket, they can purchase any goods or just about any service or condition of living – and when money talks, everything else walks my broer.
One of the most important principles that human beings should apply in their lives is what most religions express as follows: “Whatever you sow you shall reap”, which is easily the most powerful rule that determines our circumstances and the consequence of our actions.
It should be noted that there is neither good nor bad luck, because every condition that we are currently in – whether adverse or positive – was quite likely brought into our life by ourselves and nobody else.
Every event has its period of unfolding – similar to pregnancy – there is a beginning, a gestation or transitional period and finally, delivery.
Namibia was once ranked amongst the world’s best netball playing nations, positioned at number 14 during world championships in Birmingham, England in the United Kingdom, in 1995.
Needless to remind my readers that we were comfortably ranked number two on the entire African continent behind global heavyweight, the Proteas of South Africa.
So, what went wrong that Namibia is nowadays the whipping girls of the ladies’ game on the African continent that has seen us taking a slippery slope journey to the extent that we cannot even get the better of countries that have only started rattling the hoops in recent years?
A quick glimpse at the entire netball structures and astonishing talent amongst our netballers, one is obliged to conclude that administration has been our Achilles heel in recent years.
Fair enough, let me doff my korrie for the executive of Netball Namibia (ANNA) for her courageous effort in bringing on board a substantial sponsorship from Debmarine.
It’s by now a well-documented secret that despite its popularity and mass appeal, the ladies’ game has been treated like the stepdaughter of Namibian sports when it comes to funding.
Without an iota of doubt, Namibia has massive talent in this particular sporting discipline if nurtured properly and under conducive conditions.
Firstly, the netball presiding body should set up competitive regional leagues across the country. Secondly, re-introduce the annual regional tournament that used to attract the crème de la crème of Namibia’s finest basket rattlers.
Thirdly, integrate schools netball into the system by leveling the playing field in allowing all schools, irrespective of location, to compete on equal footing across all age groups.
In conclusion, let us minimise – or better still – do away with foreign/international participation until such time that we are able to assemble a decent competitive team that will not embarrass the nation at august event, as has become the norm in recent years.
League fixtures should be drawn up in such a way that it should not disadvantage certain teams. Stop the nauseating exercise of walkovers whenever teams fail to honour their league fixtures. Introduce hard and fast rules that would deter would-be offenders in that regard.
I rest my case.