Netball coach calls for grassroots promotion

Filbert Bayi Foundation netball team head coach Mary Waya has urged sports authorities in the country to introduce netball from grassroots level to hasten
its development in the country.

Waya, who has just guided her team to its national netball first division championship in Mbeya a fortnight ago, said the country has many talented players with good height and skills but lack basics of the game at a tender age.

She said most of the players learn how to play the game at an advanced age.

Motivation and inspiration are other factors that have been haunting players, according to her observations of the just ended tourney in Mbeya.

Waya also had an opportunity to watch Secondary and Primary Schools Sports Associations Games (UMISETA) and (UMITASHUTA) respectively held recently in Kibaha.

She said young players were displaying exceptional talents but lacked basic skills of the game.

Besides development of netball players from the grassroots level, efforts must also taken to develop coaches and umpires from the young age, according to Waya.

She said it would be very awkward to have many young players who do not know rules and instructions of the game.

Introduction of rules and regulations of the game would help players and officials to adopt on updates on the changes of the game as netball rules keep on changing regularly.

“Netball in the country is heading to the right direction and I can see the country becoming a force to reckon with in three years to come.

The tournament in Mbeya and the schools’ competitions displayed good young players with all the qualities, but many of them lacked some basics. I think they were not trained at a tender age,” she said.

The trainer, who holds a Level A coaching certificate since 1998, said all the 16 teams competed at the event had good and promising young players who can bring more fortunes to the country.

She asked schools and netball clubs in the country to take a leaf from her foundation by having netball programs aimed at developing the game from grassroots level.
She noted that Filbert Bayi Foundation has a plan aimed at maintaining continuity.

“We have a program which will keep our team strong for many years to come. We have 21 players for our primary school team aged between 11-14 years. We have also 12 players for our middle team aged between 14-18 years and ten players in the senior team. This will help continuity of the team,” she said.

Waya also disclosed that as one way of promoting netball in the country, Filbert Bayi Foundation Netball team recruited eight young netball players from UMISETA and UMITASHUTA under the sports development scholarship which the foundation started several years ago.

She said the young players were recruited based on their exceptional talents displayed at the Kibaha games.

During the national championships in Mbeya, the Bayi School made a hundred percent perfection winning over
Police Mbeya 67-19, CMTU 66-8, JKT Mbweni 56-42, JKT Ruvu 77-17, Tumaini 75-13, Jeshi Stars 48-30, Police Morogoro 55-17, Ras Lindi 110-6, Temeke 83-9, Police Dar es Salaam 59-26, Police Arusha 72-8, Morogoro Prisons 52-31, Hamambe Mbeya 64-20, Immigration 66-19 while Tumbaku Morogoro were no show on the last day for unknown reasons.