DEBMARINE Namibia on Tuesday announced a sponsorship of N$500 000 for the national netball team to enable it to participate in the Nations Cup tournament in Singapore next week.
At a press conference on Tuesday, the acting CEO of Debmarine Namibia, Willy Mehrtens said that they had sponsored Netball Namibia for the past three years, during which time they had proven to be worthy recipients of their sponsorship.
“For the past two years, Netball Namibia successfully hosted the Debmarine Namibia Senior Regional Championships, the Pent Series, the training of umpires and coaches, while also strengthening regional netball bodies,” he said.
“This year, Netball Namibia was challenged to find worthy opponents to host the 2019 Pent Series tournament due to the World Cup and the World Netball Congress. Netball Namibia approached Debmarine Namibia with an alternative possibility that had a good potential to improve our country ranking and to also give our national team players a chance to be scouted abroad – which is the Singapore Nations Cup, to be held in Singapore from 20 to 26 October,” he added.
Mehrtens said they agreed to sponsors the team with flight tickets, meals and full uniforms, consisting of t-shirts, golf shorts, track suits and sneakers, which amounted to about N$500 000. He added that they would also match the Namibia Sport Commission’s contribution to the players for daily allowances.
“We are certainly not immune to the current economic challenges locally and globally in the diamond market, but supporting women and girls is not just the right thing to do; it is a business imperative to us. Debmarine Namibia as part of the greater De Beers Group made a commitment to stand with women and girls and this is one example where we are showing our commitment,” he said.
The vice president of Netball Namibia, Rebekka Goagoses said Namibia last participated at the Nations Cup in Singapore six years ago, when they were ranked 28th in the world, but when their sponsor at the time withdrew, Namibian netball deteriorated.
Due to a lack of international playing opportunities their world ranking dropped to 35 at a stage, while they are currently ranked 33rd in the world.
“This competition allows us a door opener not only as an opportunity for the country’s ranking to improve, but also one for the players to be selected by Singaporean scouts, where players get a chance to play in their leagues,” she said.
The chief administrator of the Namibia Sport Commission, Fred Mwiya congratulated Debmarine on their sponsorship.
“You have done a lot for netball in Namibia – not just for the national team, but also for the girl child and for sport in general,” he said.
The Singapore Nations Cup will be held at the same time as the Africa Netball Cup that takes place in Cape Town from 18 to 22 October, where South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Lesotho, Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi will be in action.
Goagoses, however, said the Singapore Nations Cup would be more beneficial for Namibian netball.
“Our chances to improve our world ranking will be better if we compete at the Singapore Nations Cup. If we beat a country like Singapore our world ranking will shoot up.
We had the opportunity to play in Africa, so we decided lets take a different route now because we also wanted to get better opportunities for out girls,” she said.
The Namibian team leaves for Singapore on Wednesday, while the tournament gets underway on Sunday, 20 October, when Namibia will take on the hosts, Singapore.
Namibia will also play Ireland, the Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea and Botswana, before the positional play-off matches are held on 26 October.
The Namibian team is as follows:
Jatjinda Kambatuku (captain), Vehonga Ndjitaviua, Imbileni Frans, Leandri van der Walt, Loide Hanyanya, Venyekerera Maharero, Anna Shipanga, Cathline Tjihero, Emmy Kutako, Anna Kaspar, Zauana Jaumbuaije and Diana Tjejamba.
Ella du Plessis is the team manager, Julene Meyer is the head coach and Antoinette Wentworth and Krisna Alberts are the assistant coaches.
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