The Sunday Mail
Veronica Gwaze
Sports Reporter
AFTER an impressive debut at last year’s Vitality Netball World Cup in Liverpool, England, Zimbabwe’s Gems would ordinarily still be enjoying their celebrity status.
At their maiden dance at the global netball show-piece in July last year, the Gems managed an impressive eighth-place finish and had many people eating out of the palm of their hands.
But, like the morning dew, the rockstar status of the women who put Zimbabwe netball on the global map vanished as soon as it had appeared.
It is not unexpected that their major accomplishments would have attracted a proportionate response through endorsements and continued coverage on various platforms.
Yet for all their efforts in holding the nation spellbound with their performances in Liverpool, only two out of the 14 players were acknowledged by corporates.
Goal Attacker Ursula Ndlovu and Goal Shooter Joice Takaidza feature on advertising billboards courtesy of Pearlenta mealie-meal and National Foods, respectively.
Ndlovu, who plays club netball for Glow Petroleum, feels hard done, especially at a time when the Gems could still be celebrating.
“It is not like we want to blow our own trumpets, but after the World Cup you would expect anyone to know the netballers as much as they do the Warriors.
“I am a fuel attendant. I get to meet a lot of people, but it is very few who would know you as one of the Gems.
“It is really sad that netball seems not to be appreciated as much as other sports. It actually is a majority sport, especially at primary level, but I do not know what happens at higher levels,” said Ndlovu.
When the Gems returned from the World Cup on July 2 last year, they came to a befitting welcome by Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister Kirsty Coventry at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.
She congratulated them for doing the nation proud and exalted their efforts of making netball a “popular” sport in the country. The Zimbabwe hockey team also brought roses for the netball team as they celebrated together with other supporters who seemed to have fallen in love with the Gems.
Close to a year later, the Gems are now a forgotten lot.
“When we came back from the World Cup, we thought finally now we would get more recognition. We thought we had done something big enough to lure fans, but unfortunately, in less than a year, we are back to the sad reality.
“I felt really honoured when I was approached for the Pearlenta advert.
“In fact, I thought many would scramble for the Gems faces, but unfortunately, it seems nothing like that will happen,” she said.
Australian-based Takaidza, who features on the National Foods banner, is also of the same view.
National Foods approached her upon her return from the World Cup with a deal for her to be the company’s poster girl.
“I feel great and at the same time humbled by the fact that they chose me among the Gems.
“I highly appreciate the honour . . . they approached me after the World Cup games in July 2019.
“However, due to time constraints, I did not manage to have the photo shoot before returning home (Australia),” said the Goal Shooter. The photo shoot was eventually done in October when she returned home for Zimbabwe’s African Championships campaign in South Africa.
Takaidza also believes the Covid-19 lockdown is a time for reflection for the netball family and the game’s stakeholders.
“Remember, we almost failed to go to Cape Town for the African Championships after the World Cup and we were bailed out at the last minute.
“We forfeited our first game of the tournament against Uganda and that affected us very much as individuals and as a team.
“I feel the nation, the association and organisations in the country need to step up and promote the game.
“I also encourage the Gems and other women in sport not to lose hope. Let us keep working hard and doing good — recognition will eventually come with our good efforts,” said Takaidza.
