Last year’s Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup runner-ups Oshana have sharpened their new-found talent with the aim to lift the coveted trophy that evaded them at Gobabis.
They lost the final contest to the reigning netball champions Khomas, who completed an unprecedented hat-trick of crowns in the competition.
Oshana has been fine-tuning their approach and blending the old guard with new recruits daily since they assembled for camp late last week, said Oshana netball association chairperson Foibe Neliwa recently.
Revising the make-up of the team was necessary to maintain the hunger required to make their mark at this year’s Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup, which is slated for Outjo from 18 to 21 April.
Neliwa said that refreshing the team is also part of the region’s two-year cycle strategy to introduce new talent that has gone through rigorous training programmes.
“The players are currently training on a daily basis and we have developed a formidable side that can withstand any pressure,” Neliwa said.
“We have identified potential talent from all over the region including schools for our under 19 regional team … There have been a number of friendly matches organised against netball clubs from the region, and the players are getting the hang of it in terms of what is expected from them at Outjo.” stressed Neliwa.
“I am extremely excited to see the talent at our disposal who are eager and willing to take the very best in the regional tournament set for Outjo.”
Neliwa is confident that Oshana will go all the way to the final and take the glittering trophy this time around.
Oshana is pitted against serious competitors in Group B in the form of the Kavango East and Erongo regions – who have both won the championship in the past.
Oshana also has a date with host region Kunene, as well as the Omusati, Omaheke and Hardap regions.
The team departs for Outjo tomorrow.
OHANGWENA HOPE TO MAKE HISTORY
The Ohangwena netball team manager, Ndeshi Kambeyo, said preparations have progressed well, which bodes well for their desire to deliver positive results at Outjo.
“Trials went well and training has been awesome thanks to the business community who made the training camp possible,” Kambeyo said recently.
“Our performance last year at Gobabis was not that bad as we won most of our group stage matches but failed to reach the semi-final stage of the tournament … That trophy must come home and we have done all we could to make sure that we are crowned champions this year,” she said.
“We have a bunch of quality players who most represented the region in Gobabis, and have certainly gained the needed experience to deliver.”
She said that players have received ample preparation for the tournament as they bid to upset Khomas, the favorite to win.
“We hope to make history in Outjo with these quality players that we have,” Kambeyo said.
She said that Khomas’ advantage is the fact that they have active netball leagues and that the same cannot be said of the Ohangwena region.
“But that will not put us down from getting what we want,” stressed Kambeyo.
Ohangwena will take on the Kavango West, Oshikoto, Zambezi, Otjozondjupa and //Kharas regions, as well as the defending champions, Khomas.
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