2022 Netball Year Review: Success on court, tears off the turf
Like any other sport discipline, the game of Netball had lows and highs in the year 2022, that we have just concluded.
Nnalubaale Sports shines a light into what Uganda Netball managed to achieve and failed basing on their year calendar, not forgetting the future prospects of the game.
Much interest is focused on the national team, East Africa club Championship, capacity building, talent identification, sponsorships and why they are yet to receive any coin of the 3bn from government this financial year 2022/23.
- SPONSORSHIP/PARTNERSHIPS
Netball has been in existence in Uganda since the late days of the missionaries but for all these years, luring sponsors has been a challenge.
Well, as you read this, 2022 was a different story as Uganda Netball Federation (UNF) managed to secure some serious sponsorships and partnerships.
They unveiled at least four partnerships during the year. Notable was GoTV Uganda (81m), Plascon Uganda (70m), MTN Uganda (50m) and King Ceasor University who sponsored the She Cranes trip to UK for International test series in September.
- NATIONAL TEAM (THE SHE CRANES)
The year’s She Cranes success started in June with the maiden regional tours, where the national team traversed the nation, spreading the game to the grassroots.
The national team stars played regional select sides in six regions namely; Buganda, Eastern, Western, Northern, West Nile and Kampala Region.
She Cranes registered a triumphant performance in 2022 Commonwealth games, finishing fifth for the first time in the country’s history at the tournament.
The icing on the cake was the victory over Africa number one and rivals South Africa in a mouthwatering encounter in Birmingham.
She Cranes had another trip in United Kingdom and had test series with Northern Ireland, Wales and England Roses in October before another successful tournament (Fast five world series) held in New Zealand in November.
In this tournament, a maiden challenge for Uganda, they finished fifth amongst the top six ranked nations in the world, She Cranes beat world’s number one, Australia and world’s number four, Jamaica.
However, before these successful journeys, She Cranes with UNF first launched a replica jersey, the first of its kind in Uganda’s Netball history.
On the same day of replica jersey unveiling, Uganda Netball Federation at Serena Hotel launched a campaign dubbed ‘Securing a home for a girl child dominated sport’.
- NATIONAL NETBALL LEAGUE
2022 had two league seasons, the last round of 2021/22 season and the first round of 2022/23 season.
National Insurance Corporation Netball Club (NIC) won the 2021/22 championship, the first league to be followed by an awards ceremony held at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala.
At the event where the best of that season were celebrated, Weyonje’s defender and Skipper, Shakirah Nassaka was crowned the MVP and Awas named the best in the males category.
Before the commencement of the 2022/23 season, Uganda hosted the East Africa Club Championship at Kamwokya Community Sports Center, which has turned out to be the main home of Netball.
The championship attracted teams from Uganda, Tanzania and Zanzibar, for both men and women.
NIC defended the title after humbling KCCA in the final. Kampala University also retained that trophy for men.
The turn up by fans at this championship was immense and this gave birth to the culture of gate fees collection in the game of netball.
Fast forward, the 2022/23 season is currently in first round recess expected to return late January this year.
It has been a competitive league with the defending champions and record winners NIC notably suffering two rare defeats.
KCCA Netball Club, the only unbeaten side so far is on top of the league which has teams from as far as the Eastern border in Busia Greater Lions.
Before the throw off of the season, the federation through the planning and organizing committee and marketing department promised to gift clubs with warmup kits but that didn’t happen.
- UNF CHALLENGES AND HURDLES
In the year 2022, Uganda Netball mostly through She Cranes, has been a vibrant game in the land, on the continent and across the world courtesy of impressive performances on the court.
Shockingly, it’s one of the sport disciplines that hasn’t received any financial support from the government for almost 18 months.
The financial constraints deter the federation from achieving its set targets. UNF offices were at one point closed off due to rent defaulting!
Still on the low note, the new executive under the stewardship of former Youth MP, Hon. Babirye Kityo Sarah, the federation dealt with a lot of internal wrangles and this is one of the reasons why the sport is not receiving funds from NCS.
This regrettable situation forced some national team athletes go bare knuckles, challenging the Education and Sports Minister for not fulfilling promises made to them.
The ranting “paid off” as the state Minister for Sports Hon. Peter Ogwang is now actively looking into the matter.
- FUTURE PROSPECTS
What to expect in 2023 is more success in global competitions and the climax of the 2022/2023 Netball Super league.
The She Cranes will be in action at the forthcoming Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town South Africa.
She Cranes has to prove that 2022 wasn’t a flash in the pan by again upsetting big guns, as was the case last year.
Uganda also won the bid of hosting the 2023 Africa Netball Championship in Kampala but the venue is yet to be confirmed due to the worrying state of Lugogo and Makerere University Indoor Arenas.
From Nnalubaale Sports, we wish the sport a fruitful 2023 and pray that the issues with NCS are resolved.
Courtesy Photos
