KATIMA MULILO – The popularity of netball has taken a self inflicted slippery slope journey cruising on the inevitable path of the dinosaur in the vast Zambezi region despite massive interest from netball enthusiasts, notwithstanding the abundance of talent.
Although the Zambezi Netball Association (ZNA) is a fully-fledged member of the now revamped Namibia Netball (NN) where she enjoys full benefits, it does not have league structures in place while regional representative teams are merely selected at the eleventh minute for national tourneys or trials for that matter.
A source speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal revealed to New Era Sports that those who have been elected to keep an eye over the administration of netball in the Zambezi region are more interested in attending seminars, preferably outside town without adding any valuable contribution towards the growth of the game.
“As I’m talking to you right now, apart from the cops’ team, the Hippo team, we don’t have active netball playing teams here in Katima or surrounding areas but whenever the call comes to assemble a team to represent our region at national trials, unfit players are usually hurriedly hand-picked to represent the region,” charged the clearly agitated source.
She added that the region is seriously hamstrung by the lack of adequate equipment such as playing gear, revealing that they are always subjected to the embarrassment of having to borrow playing kit from some of the local teams to participate in regional tournaments.
“At times, teams would refuse to lend us their uniforms – leaving us with no option to let the players run out in t-shirts, resembling a disorganised illusion of loose chameleons”.
Betty Batubaja is the Secretary-General of the Zambezi Netball Association and she wholeheartedly admits that netball in the Zambezi region is in disarray but is quick to apportion the blame on the indiscipline act of local clubs who constantly fail to honour their league assignments.
“We had nine clubs registered at the beginning of this year, but the girls are showing little interest and always come up with excuses such as that they have to attend church services and all kind of excuses not to pitch up for league fixtures,” says Butateja.
She added that the problem is largely worsened by the lack of interest from the majority of members from the 5-member executive who have made it their sole province not to attend meetings where crucial decisions are to be taken.
“As it stands, there are only two active members, it appears that the incumbent chairlady is no longer interested in continuing in her role. She is nowhere to be seen and does not pay attention to the day-to-day activities of netball, a scenario that necessitates the need to call an Extra Ordinary Meeting to elect new members”.