* The team comprise former students of Malawi University of Business & Applied Sciences (MUBAS)
* Who were playing for MUBAS Sisters (formerly known as Poly Sisters) and have now graduated from the University
By Victor Singano Jnr
Newly-formed Blantyre-based netball club, Pacers have challenged that their main target in this year’s Blantyre District Rainbow Paints Netball League is to finish within top 3 position in their first season.
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The team comprise former students of Malawi University of Business & Applied Sciences (MUBAS) who were playing for MUBAS Sisters (formerly known as Poly Sisters) and have now graduated in various programs from the University.
Pacers’ president, Nthombizana Thindwa made the challenge on Sunday during the official launch of the team which was held at Blantyre Youth Centre where ECORIDE company was also unveiled as the team’s kit sponsors.
Thindwa emphasised that they have decided to form the team, which will mainly be focusing on the girl-child who are passionate about netball by bringing them together and create a platform where they can continue displaying their talent, blend professionalism and skill after school and become great netball stars.
Nthombizana Thindwa and ECORIDE CEO, Pilirani Namalomba
“What we discovered is that a lot of talented girls take interest in netball but after playing for two seasons they quit,” she said. “This also happens to secondary school and university students who participate in netball competitions at school level but once they finish their academics, they don’t know where to go as they feel like they’re done with netball.
“So, Pacers Netball Club has been introduced to open doors for those girls so that they can find a place where their talent can be exposed.”
She further said the team is geared to compete in the league and that it is eyeing to conclude the season on high note by securing a top 3 position.
Pacers captain, Eddah Mkombezi — who is also former MUBAS Sisters vice-captain — said they are grateful of the club’s leadership for forming the new team, which she said will give them room to continue building their netball talent after graduating from MUBAS where they have left the team in order to allow upcoming students to take over and showcase their skills.
Present was the kit sponsor, ECORIDE’s Chief Executive Officer, Pilirani Namalomba, who presented a set of brand new netball jerseys and bibs to be used for the 2024 netball season.
“It was easy to accept their proposal because of the objectives listed in their document which was full of inspiring goals they’re targeting to achieve more especially in promoting the girl child,” he said.
“This is a team comprising academic professionals from MUBAS and other colleges which will inspire the little ones because previously people thought sports is for those who have not done well academically but Pacers is changing that by bringing a new mindset.”
On his part, Southern Region Netball chairperson, Justice Katika expressed his happiness with the introduction of the team, which he described as a unique club in terms of its objectives of promoting the girl child.
He described the development as a very important aspect in netball as it will help to encourage more girls to start loving the sport: “This is very encouraging and we are happy for Pacers because their objectives are inline with our mission as we focuses much in bringing netball into its right track.”
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Malawi netball is a glamorous brand at international level that compete with passion alongside renowned giants of world netball but of late their pace has gone down to such a level that they even struggle against African teams they easily shrugged aside before.
This is because of a weak succession plan of uplifting up-and-coming stars as management of Pacers have created of forming a large pool of talent for national team coaches to tap from.
Most players for the Queens are tapped from seasoned teams such as First Choice Tigresses, Kukoma Diamonds, Imosys, Blantyre Tremors and from Lilongwe, Blue Eagles Sisters.
Another challenge that deter girls from pursuing the sport is lack of sponsorship as the game does not generate its own revenue as most games are patronized for free.
Teams struggle to honour their fixtures because of lack of funds as most of them do not have sponsors as that for Tigresses (First Choice), Diamonds (Kukoma), Imosys NC and Blue Eagles (Malawi Police).
Sponsorship is hard to get by
Netball action at BYC, the Mecca of the sport
However, in September last year, Blantyre District Netball landed a lucrative K10 million two-year sponsorship from Thompson & Barbara Mpinganjira Foundation in which it adopted two teams from Rainbow Paints-sponsored league who were have been going through financial hiccups — namely Blantyre Tremors and Shizaella Queens.
The two teams will be getting a K6 million package from the K10 million which will carter for their allowances in the season whereas K2.34 million will be used for the players’ special mentorship and welfare training program.
The remaining K1.6 million will go towards end-of-season netball bonanza — to involve the two adopted teams and other teams that will finish the season from position 5 to 12.—Additional reporting by Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express
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