Nanyonga to stay locked in despite snub

A household name in netball circles, goal attacker Rachael Nanyonga has enjoyed a fair share of displays on the national netball team, the She Cranes.

The sensational swift and diligent goal attacker has been outstanding in commendable competitions, including two Netball World Cups in 2015 and 2019, Commonwealth Games in 2018 as well as back to back victories at the 2017 and 2018 Africa Netball Championships, among other competitions that have made Uganda’s netball shine.
Nanyonga  has always had a good coordination with Peace Proscovia, who has for long been Uganda’s

number one shooter, hence being  among the first seven on most She Cranes  line-ups.

In the 2015 World Cup, being new, she did not play many game quarters, however in consequent competitions including the Commonwealth Games, and 2019 World Cup, she  started games, played for more quarters and even scored more goals.

Fresh from winning the league and East African Netball Championships for National Insurance Corporation (NIC), Nanyonga was among the 28 home based netballers who were invited for national team preparations ahead of the Commonwealth Games starting July-August in Birmingham, England.

However, two weeks after training she was among the first eight to be dropped from the team.
Others include defenders Lilian Ajio, Shakirah Nassaka, Stella Nanfuka, Nassim Mutesi, Moureen Nankya, and Florence Adunia, as well as centre player Annet Najjuka.
Head coach Fred Mugerwa cited lack of fitness in the dropped players.

‘Still young and strong’

However, Nanyonga who still has hopes of representing the She Cranes on other expeditions, has not given up on herself.

“I have not rested ever since I left training camp, I am doing intense training with my team as I also play for my basketball team the Magic Stormers in the basketball league,” she said.

The shooting ace also admits that giving birth in 2020 had some effect on her fitness but she has now regained her usual form as reflected in her outstanding performances in the national league as well as the East African Netball Club Championships.

“I’m still strong and young to represent my country in other competitions hence I am not about to give up. I also plan to start up a netball academy to teach youngsters the netball game,” Nanyonga told Score.

She has also called upon counterparts on the She Cranes team to play with confidence and train hard to see that they march their opponents.

“They are good players and we expect the best from them. Sometimes players are affected by the unfamiliar weather conditions and lack of experience as well as unusual courts but it is all about confidence and believing in yourself,” she said.

Her journey

As a girl, growing up, her elder sister Irene Namanda was a netballer and it was through following her sibling to training that she came to learn and love netball. 

Namanda played for local netball teams and was an exceptional shooter nicknamed her Ronaldo – after the legendary Brazil football striker.

However, due to some reasons, she did not continue playing netball
It was at Kanyanya Church of Uganda School that Nanyonga started competing in tournaments while in primary six. She would also take part in village competitions from where she was spotted and put under coach Mega, who was coaching at Bishop Nankyama Secondary School.

Nanyonga joined the school team as a defender before she was turned into a shooter.
In one of the schools’ competitions, she was spotted and admitted by Gombe SS as a student.

She only had a one-year stint at Gombe SS before her team beat St Mary’s Kitende at the Nationals in 2007.

As an outstanding player in the tournament, Kitende started pursuing her to join them but she was reluctant to start a new school until their scouts visited and convinced her parents.
While in Senior Five at Kitende, Nanyonga represented her Nyonyi clan in the ‘Bika Bya Baganda’ tournament. Her outstanding display attracted Hajat Fatia Kitaka, who was a coach at NIC.

She then joined the current league champions where she got a chance of rubbing shoulders with outstanding players, most of whom were on the She Cranes team. These included; Betty Namukasa, Hadijah Nakabuye, Ruth Meeme, Rachael Nankinga among others.

Under the wings of the late NIC coach Margret Bisereko, she joined Makerere University Business School where she took part in university games, winning a trophy.

She Cranes team

In 2010, Nanyonga received her first invitation on the She Cranes team. She was on the team that traveled to Malawi on a bus for an African Netball Championship.
It was such a tiresome journey that as a young player, she failed to withstand the tenacity of their opponents once on court, hence she was called back to the bench.

She was again invited to prepare for a friendly tournament in Singapore. The netball federation was cash strapped and opted for only ten players instead of 12, hence Nanyonga and another colleague were dropped at the last minute.

However a day after the team set off, they received money from President Museveni and they had to travel later with team officials.

Nanyonga’s turning point was the Diamond Challenge in South Africa. This was also a warm-up tournament for the 2015 Netball World Cup. She was not among the 12 players on the line-up, but an additional player, who was favored by the two additional late air tickets offered by the hosts.
She and Susan Atino grabbed the tickets but with no hopes of playing.

Things didn’t go well for the She Cranes, hence unexpectedly Nanyonga was called for warm-up before replacing Hadijah Nakabuye in a game against Malawi.

Uganda led and won the fixture which impressed all the coaches and spectators. She even won R3,000 (about Shs700,000)  as an outstanding player.

She believes it was this impressive show that paved her way to make the final team to the 2015 World Cup, her first major tournament with the She Cranes.

From then she became the team’s mainstay, taking part in another World Cup, Commonwealth Games, various test series and Africa Cups.

In netball Nanyonga has travelled, made friends and connections as well as earning a living from the salary she receives from her club and national team allowances during competitions.

Fitness...The curious case

Last month, Nanyonga and Stella Oyella’s partnership proved too strong for the rest of teams from the region as NIC emerged unbeaten in the East African Netball Club Championships to win their 20th trophy.

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