Long wait for Queens coach
Malawi national netball team, the Queens, will have to wait longer for a permanent coach despite government giving the Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) the green light to employ one.
The Queens have never had a permanent coach and there is an uncertainty on when NAM will implement the plan to hire one as the association says it is not ready to do so right away due to administrative challenges.
In an interview this week, NAM general secretary (GS) Isaac Chimwala said although they would have loved to have a permanent coach by the end of this year, the association should first improve its structures such as having a fully-fledged secretariat with an administration officer.
He said: “Once we engage a permanent coach, seriousness towards the game of netball will be different from the current scenario.
“Therefore, our netball structures need to be enhanced first before we bring in such a coach.”
Chimwala said NAM is aware that this is a long-overdue issue that needs immediate attention, but proper supporting structures are needed for it to bear fruits.
“Of course, we have a secretariat, but it is not fully operational. Currently, NAM mostly relies on the GS regarding operations.
“We need a full-time administration officer to ensure all our programmes are run properly,” he said.
In a separate interview, Ministry of Youth and Sports director of sports Jameson Ndalama said they delayed giving the approval to hire a permanent coach as they were waiting for the NAM new executive committee elected in July to settle down.
“We wanted to first confirm if the new NAM executive committee would still go by the plans of its predecessor to hire a permanent coach,” he said.
Meanwhile, netball analyst Wesley Namasala has said the delay in hiring the permanent coach has a negative impact on the team’s performance.
He said: “Employing a permanent coach is important as it allows the coach sufficient time to implement strategies and philosophy.”
Namasala added that a coach also brings stability to the team, which is key to progress.
“A coach must have considerable time to be able to mould a team in a manner he or she desires,” he explained, adding: “Having a permanent coach is certainly a move in the right direction.”
Currently, the Queens are coached by former captain Peace Chawinga-Kalua on a part-time basis.
The team is currently in camp in preparation for the African Netball Cup and the Pent Netball Series in Namibia next month.
