Experienced netball campaigners Toetsi Tjihero, Anna Kaspar and Anna Shipanga will lead their new teammates in the Debmarine Pent Series set to commence in Windhoek on Monday.

The three stalwarts made the cut for Namibia’s Desert Jewels, who will contest against Malawi, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Kenya in the third instalment of the netball tournament from 01-05 November in Windhoek.

Malawi is currently ranked sixth in the world, Uganda seventh, Zimbabwe 12th, Zambia 15th, Namibia 24th and Kenya 39th.

Netball Namibia (NN) this week announced the final team of 12 players and three reserves, selected from a crop of 27 players for the upcoming tournament – a ranking tournament – which is sponsored by Debmarine Namibia, a marine diamond mining company.

According to Desert Jewels’ head coach Julene Meyer, the squad was thoroughly assessed by a respectable group of netball experts.

“The selection process consisted of a battery of assessments, including basic skills assessment, positional technical assessments, systems assessments, mental assessments, and court assessments,” she told New Era Sport.

Also speaking on the process of selection, NN vice-president Rebecca Goagoses said the squad consists of various new “fresh and new” talent that will be of great benefit to the team’s overall performance.

“Selection doesn’t happen overnight, as the players who played in previous competitions are always called up, as well as those identified in recent competitions. Worth mentioning is the recently-concluded MTC premiership games, and Foxy, Dreamy and Monique made it to the final 15 through being identified from that showpiece,” said Goagoses.

She noted the NN board is satisfied with the selection process, as members were present to sunderstand which dynamics and processes the selectors and coaches applied to derive at the final 15.

- mkambukwe@nepc.com.na