Netball embarks on journey to Birmingham

Biggest Exponents. Peace Proscovia (L) and Mary Nuba will lead Uganda’s charge in Birmingham. PHOTO/COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • Uganda is currently sixth and if they maintain that, the She Cranes would then automatically make it to next year’s Netball World Cup in South Africa without going through African qualifiers.

The Uganda Netball Federation (UNF)  has embarked on a journey to the Commonwealth Games due July-August in Birmingham, England. The Commonwealth Games will be a platform for Uganda not only to showcase their netball talent but also to put up an outstanding performance to maintain or improve her world ranking. 
Uganda is currently sixth and if they maintain that, the She Cranes would then automatically make it to next year’s Netball World Cup in South Africa without going through African qualifiers.

Among the key preparational events for the Birmingham games will be the East and Central African Netball Club Championship that Uganda will host starting May 8 - 15. Four Ugandan clubs that led the 2019 netball league will participate in the competition and these include; NIC, Prisons, KCCA and UPDF.

Gain popularity
According to Margaret Nantongo Zziwa, the chairperson, UNF trustees, the She Cranes will then embark on regional tours to see that they develop grassroot netball as well as gain popularity among people from all parts of the country before they settle down in camp.
“ We are going to the five regions of Uganda to play netball and introduce our national team players to local teams in a bid to source  talents as well as develop the sport from the grass roots,” Zziwa said.

She Cranes head coach Fred Mugerwa is optimistic that the national team  will manage to keep or even improve their sixth place through the Commonwealth Games.
 “I can assure you that we are going to maintain our sixth position or even better it because of the quality of players we have. Very many countries are afraid of Uganda given the quality of our players based on the form of our professional players including Peace Proscovia and Mary Nuba,” he said.
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