Africa-Press – Namibia. THE Desert Jewels have turned to wily Malawian tactician Mary Waya to aid their bid for 2023 Netball World Cup qualification.
Netball Namibia appointed Waya following last month’s dismal showing at the Cosana Tri-Nations series in Blantyre, where the Desert Jewels placed last behind winners Malawi and Zimbabwe.
That poor showing led to the controversial axing of Sunette Burden, who held the position for just over a month. Just like Julene Meyer before her, Burden left under a cloud of circumstances described only as “professional differences” by the federation.
Waya is tasked with turning around the senior national team’s fortunes with a positive showing at the World Cup qualifiers in Pretoria, South Africa, during August.
“I’m happy to be here. I know Namibia has a lot to deliver. There is a lot that we need to do and to work in areas that can make us qualify for the World Cup,” Waya said while getting a feel for her charges on Friday evening before a training match against a select men’s team in Windhoek.
Netball Namibia secretary general Imelda Nerongo said Waya’s experience and standing in the netball community was one of the reasons they acquired her services.
Maya will be assisted by former Zimbabwe netball national team coach Lloyd Makunde, who led Zimbabwe to their maiden world cup appearance back in 2019, with second assistant Antoinette Wentworth, the only survivor of the previous technical team.
“Waya is a well-known coach around Africa, and has done so much and featured in a lot of World Cup matches,” Nerongo said.
Waya competed in two World Netball Championships (1995 and 2007), three Commonwealth Games (1998, 2006 and 2010), and two World Netball Series (2009 and 2010).
She amassed over 200 caps as a goal shooter for the Malawi netball team before venturing into coaching. She came to international prominence during the 2007 World Championships in New Zealand, where the Malawi national team finished fifth, their highest ever placing.
Waya remains Malawi’s most high-profile player and was chosen as the flag bearer for the Malawi team at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
In 2012, the Malawi star went on to coach the Tanzania National Netball team.
She is founder of the Mary Waya Foundation, a non-profit sports academy in Blantyre that aims to empower local African women through sport.
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