Thunder all-time greats nomination thrills Mvula
Malawi netball export Joyce Mvula says she felt honoured to be nominated for Manchester Thunder All-Time Dream Team in United Kingdom.
The 26-year-old was last weekend among the four shooters that a panel of judges nominated to be voted for by supporters as the club’s all-time best shooter for the Vitality Netball Super-league champions.
The club, through its website www.manchesterthunder.co.uk, gave its supporters an opportunity to vote for the nominees.
Mvula, who has been playing for the club since 2017, was nominated as all-time shooter alongside Karen Greig, current coach who played for Thunder between 2008 and 2012, Krista Enziano (2009 – 2015) and eventual winner Eleanor Cardwell (2011 to present).
“Although I have not made it into the dream team, it feels great to be among the nominated candidates. This club has been having top shooters for almost the past 15 years and it is a great honour to be named among the top-four,” she said.
The Malawi Queens shooter said the nomination is a great motivation to her as she strives to up her game.
Kerry Almond was voted as the all-time goalkeeper while Emma Dovey, Amy Carter, Caroline O’Hanlon, Liana Leota and Helen Housby were voted all-time goal-defender, wing-defender, centre, wing-attacker and goal-attacker, respectively.
Voting for all-time coach was yet to be finalised.
Malawi Queens coach Peace Chawinga-Kaluwa said it is not surprising that Mvula is considered among the best shooters at her club as she is hard-working and has outstanding talent.
For the past three years, Mvula has won a number of awards with the team. She grabbed the Players’ Player of the Year Award and the Most Improved Player at the Thunder Awards ceremony in 2018. Last year, she emerged the Fans’ Player of the Season.
Mvula, who had her Queens debut at 16, is Malawi’s second netballer to ply her trade overseas after Mwawi Australia-based shooter Mwawi Kumwenda.
She is the first Malawian to play in the UK top league, which also has her team-mate goalkeeper Laureen Ngwira and Severn Stars’ goalkeeper Towera Vinkhumbo-Nyirenda
