Malawi Queens coach Peace Chawinga-Kaluwa has said the three international friendlies against Zimbabwe’s Gems in Harare last weekend helped her to identify performance gaps that will be filled as the team undergoes the transition process.
The Malawi National Netball Team only won the first match 54-40 before losing 46-58 and 47-50 in the subsequent games.
The team travelled with 21 players, eight of whom were promoted from the Under-21 national team that competed at the recent Netball World Youth Cup in Gibraltar.
Said Chawinga-Kaluwa: “The trip has shown us promising signs. We incorporated new and young players who stood the test and performed admirably. The team’s strength lies in their youthful energy, potential for growth and ability to learn from minor errors.
“However, there are some areas for improvement, which include fine-tuning their skills, enhancing team cohesion and minimising mistakes when under pressure.”
She said the team will now focus on targeted areas from what they have analysed to address weaknesses.
“We will definitely develop strategies to build on their strengths and continue to nurture the talent and enthusiasm of the young players. With the ongoing development and refinement, the team can achieve success. We are in the right direction,” the Queens’ coach said.
In Zimbabwe, Malawi also sent the men’s national team that lost all their games against Zimbabwe’s Golden Flyers 62-30 and 51-34.
Netball Association of Malawi vice-general secretary Janet Chiumia said the games have served their purpose of helping the teams to build combinations and cohesion ahead of future competitions.
“Despite the results, the matches offered the teams valuable lessons and experience. The games helped the teams to test new combinations and identify areas that need improvement as we prepare for furture tournament,” she said.
