By Ireen Mseteka
Sports and Recreation Development Officer for Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS) in the northern region, Gracian Mkandawire says the council has put in place programme s aimed at building a youthful national netball team that can take over from the current team.
Speaking in an interview in Likoma at the end of a five-day training for 30 netball coaches and umpires in the district, Mkandawire said one of the initiatives is to conduct netball coaching and umpiring courses at the grassroots level.
“Training of netball coaches and umpires in one of the initiatives that fits so well in our programs. As a country, we are trying to build a youthful team which can take over from the current national netball team,” Mkandawire said.
Participants being addressed
He urged participants to put into practice whatever skills they gained from the training to improve netball in the district.
Likoma District Education Sports Officer (DESO), Samson Nyirenda said the coaching course was very important for netball development in the district.
“It is going to fill the big gap that has been there between likoma and other districts from the mainland. Our players do not have the right skills to compete with those from the mainland,” Nyirenda said.
Director of Planning and Development (DPD) for Likoma, Steve Munthali said the council is ready to source funds for construction of a stadium which can be used for sporting activities in the district.
“We will sit down and write proposals so that we can be able to attract donors, development partners and other institutions that are willing to invest in the sporting infrastructure. There is an outcry because we do not have a stadium,” said Munthali.