Netball needs consistency

I think it is important to speak freely and readily and to perhaps assist one another somehow.
In 2019, the Desert Jewels of Namibia won the M1 Nations Cup, beating host Singapore in the final.
The team rose through the ranks, defeating participants such as Botswana, Cook Islands, Ireland and Papua New Guinea - highly ranked countries, I must add - to win the cup.
The triumph was not repeated at the recently ended Cosana Tri-Nations series in Malawi. There could be many reasons for this, some which I will highlight.
Some of the players who were part of the Nations Cup squad are no longer with the squad. The current team is quite inexperienced, so expecting the same results from 2019 is a tall order, even if I have to say so myself.
The team only managed to win one match in the series, suffering back-to-back losses. For many, this outcome is below par.
I can speak about a lot of things which contribute to this – the awkward technique of some of our players; the lack of stamina and fitness, and so much more. But it doesn’t help to dwell on these things.
It is important to speak of ways in which the players need to invest in themselves if they are in the national set-up.
Don’t wait to be called up for a national camp before you start training. Make it your personal mission to stay fit – you are in the business to be fit.
The rest is up to Netball Namibia. Lobby for sponsorship way before competition time in order to give players more training time.
Create an environment of consistency where the players can compete consistently at the highest level.
One-week training camps should be a thing of the past. We need to evolve from one way of training – more goes into preparing for a competition.
Off-court training is just as important as on-court training. Players need to be developed to make the correct decisions and to perform under pressure on court.
Then comes the creation of more play time for players. This is where experience comes in. Also, call in strength and conditioning coaches to assist – one person can’t do everything themselves.
There are many areas that need to be ticked off. In addition, I really think players should not be praised for commitment with words. They should be paid. Monetary support in itself is a boost.
Most of these players are employed. Imagine putting in leave to travel to Malawi and returning with nothing. There should be something to show for your hard work, especially if you are representing your country. But I suppose this is a general problem for most sports codes.
To the players, if everything else fails and when you face highly-ranked nations and feel intimidated, at least play with heart.

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