Invest more in Queens — Waya
Malawi Queens coach Mary Waya, whose charges are threatening to break into the top-four band at the 2014 Glasgow XX Commonwealth Games in Scotland, has called for more investment in netball.
“If we played regularly against the top teams, we could have been familiar with their style of play. But we stay idle waiting for competitions. We understand that most people love football, but they must appreciate that it is netball that puts Malawi on the map,” Waya explained in a telephone interview on Friday.
She hailed Airtel Malawi for sponsoring the Queens who she believes will deliver the goods in today’s contest against fourth-placed Jamaica and 11th ranked Scotland tomorrow.
The Queens beat 12th rated Northern Ireland 71-50 on Thursday and lost 50-47 to world number two New Zealand on Friday. New Zealand lead Pool A followed by the Queens who defeated 18th positioned Saint Lucia on Saturday.
“The girls fought up to the last dot. It is the first time for Malawi to lose by a small margin. We are not promising, but our aim is to reach Canaan. But as I said earlier, this team needs companies to emulate Airtel in complementing government efforts,” said Waya.
Commenting about the Malawi game in the international press, Scotland Captain Lesley MacDonald said: “We are realistic in what we want to achieve, but we played against New Zealand in a friendly match series in January this year to get experience and exposure against the higher-ranked sides.”
Malawi are in Pool A alongside Scotland, New Zealand, St Lucia, Northern Ireland and Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls. Pool B comprises Australia, England, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago and Wales.
Top two teams from the groups will meet in the next stage.
Malawi has been investing in soccer for years on end, spending an untold amount of money, yet the returns have been dismal at best. Malawi netball on the other hand, has been proving time and again that they are a top-of-the-world class, competing and oftentimes beating the best of the sport. It’s time indeed to invest more in the winning sport, netball, than the perpetual loser which is football.