Fans to strategise on Queens’ support

Netball fans will gather at Blantyre Youth Centre (BYC) on Saturday to build the hype for Malawi Queens’ engagement in the African Netball Associations (ANA) Championships to be held in Blantyre from June 24-29.

Chairperson of the fans, Mable Luwemba Lwanda, told The Nation on Wenesday that everybody is welcome to the meeting, which will start from 1.30pm.

She said apart from banging heads on how they should approach the cheering of the Queens and the Under 21 national team during the continental showpiece, they would also like to use the gathering to compose and practise songs they will sing in during the tournament.

“For our teams to do well in this event, they need our support. We mostly do well when supporting the Flames, so we want that replicated to our dear Queens.

“As netball lovers, we want to be organised and show the world that we are proud of our national teams, especially the Queens who are the best on the continent,” said Lwanda.

Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) general secretary Carol Bapu has welcomed the fans’ gesture, saying it will instil fighting spirit in the players.

Meanwhile, Bapu has said the GOtv Netball Champions League, which had its second round games last weekend, will break until the end of the Queens’ engagements in the ANA Championships.

“We have agreed with the GOtv Netball Champions League sponsors MultiChoice Malawi to have a break so as to allow the Queens players come together and have enough time to prepare for the African Championships,” she said.

So far, at least six teams, including Malawi’s hottest rivals South Africa, have confirmed participation in the continental championships expected to take place at BYC and College of Medicine (CoM) Sports Complex.