Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) has set up the country’s first-ever netball academy to operate in Blantyre and Lilongwe to promote the sport from grassroots.
A statement from NAM says in Blantyre, the academy will be based at Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS) while in Lilongwe, the sessions will be held at The Gateway Mall.
The statement reads in part: “Is your child the next star for the Malawi Queens? The NAM Academy is calling all future netball stars aged six to 10 and 11 to 16 years in Lilongwe and Blantyre. Registrations are now open.”
The academy will open on August 2 and will operate every Saturday, according to NAM general secretary Yamikani Kauma.
Former Queens star Kelita Hau will be responsible for the Lilongwe academy while Annie Mopiha will handle the Blantyre school, according to the statement.
Mopiha in an interview called on parents to enrol their children if they want to fullfil their dream of playing netball.
She said: “In the past, netball used to be taken as a pastime. But not anymore.
“We have seen netball stars like Mwawi Kumwenda playing professional netball in Australia.
“The academy is a chance for children aspiring to be future Mwawi Kumwendas to learn the basics from a tender age.
“At the same time we also want to restore Malawi’s lost glory in netball by identified future stars.”
NAM has come up with K20 000 monthly fee and K10 000 per session per player.
