The Sunday Mail
Brighton Zhawi
BIG, burly and athletic; Correctional Services Queens’ Shooter Tafadzwa Mavango is the gift that keeps on giving.
Never short of nicknames growing up; Mavango has heard them all, but only one has stood the test of time.
“Biggie”. “I am big, I grab passes right on most defenders’ foreheads with ease,” said 23-year-old goal shooter when pressed on the origins of her nickname.
However, as the dust starts to settle on the just-ended 2017 Netball Super league, Mavango can add two more nicknames to her ever growing list.
Champion.
Correctional Services Queens last week clinched the 2017 Netball Super League title courtesy of a 40-39 win over Harare City at Chikurubi.
The win denied the municipal side a chance at a maiden title, and the fact that Mavango scored the all-important goal has seen some sections of the netball community calling her the “Heartbreaker”. And Mavango is not losing sleep over her latest nickname.
“I was happy to help my team win the league,” said Mavango.
“We had a good season, we worked hard as a team in both defence and attack.” The 23-year-old goal shooter says it’s no coincidence she performed well during the all-important clash.
She put in the hours, sharpen her shooting skills, and work hard to comeback after an ankle injury setback during the course of the season.
“I really tried my best and I would like to thank my coach who would get to practice early and work with me on fitness and shooting.
“At times we would also utilise the lunch break, I needed it to improve,” she said. Through netball she has become a Correctional Services officer and she pleased with such a blessing.
“It surely is my biggest achievement from netball,” said the former Tenax player who made her top flight debut in 2013.
Mavango was part of the national netball team that won the African Netball Championship title in 2014 and now dreams of donning the national bib again to add to her three caps.
“I want to be an international player and I will work hard to play more games for the senior team,” she said. Maybe she can continue to break more hearts under national team colours.
