The Sunday Mail
Veronica Gwaze
SHARLEEN Makusha may very well go down in history as one of the country’s most polarising netball players.
Standing at 1,7 meters, the 21-year-old’s height is what netball coaches’ dreams are made of.
She is talented, but lacks the confidence and experience required to play at international level.
But then again she is 1,7 meters!
That was the debate that surrounded her inclusion into the Zimbabwe Gems’ Diamond Challenge squad . She divided opinion amongst pundits, coaches, players and fans alike. It doesn’t help matters that she went on to have an outstanding performance on her debut at the just-ended Diamond Challenge in South Africa.
She returned home to beg the ‘Defender of the season’ award at her Zvishavane-based club, Platinum Queens, just last week, further fuelling rumours that ‘Tan-tan’, as she is affectionately known, is England-bound. After a stylish international debut and bagging a first individual award, the defender has also left clubs scrambling for her signature ahead of the 2019 season.
But then who is this Norton-born star, currently making the entire netball community go gaga over her height and skill. Born May 4,1997, Makusha has her roots in football.
“During my school days, I played soccer,” said Makusha.
“It was only in 2014 when the netball coach Gift Chilengwe spotted me and asked if I could join the netball team.,” she said.
“I was tall, he thought he could use some height in his team.
“We later participated in a division-two tournament at Stodart. Seated on the bench as a substitute, Platinum Queens coach Mr Simbarashe Mlambo approached and inquired about my age,” she said.
Makusha reckons the conversation turned her life around.
In 2015, she was awarded a scholarship to Pamushana Mission.
“I repeated my Form Three and Four, and that is where I honed my craft,” she said. In 2017, the athlete joined Beta Queens under the mentorship of Tatenda ‘Ninja’ Shinya before moving to Platinum Queens early this year. She was included in the Under 21 World Cup squad in Botswana.
“Going to the World Cup, I did not think I would play. I thought I was just there to add numbers, but surprisingly, I played and realised I had the potential.
“After World Cup, I was then signed by Platinum Queens, after which I got my first senior team call-up,” said Makusha.
Makusha’s parents also did not have confidence in her ability as a netball player.
The netballer had to sneak out to attend training sessions.
“The scholarship was a relief, because that is when they (parents) started to have faith and approve of me playing netball,” said the player, who draws inspiration from renowned defender Felistas Kwangwa.
“I never thought netball would take me this far, but I am still very young and still have plenty to learn.
“Winning defender of the year came as a surprise, I consider myself in the infant stages of my career potential.
“I am happy that my efforts are paying off and it is teamwork that makes it all possible,” she said.
Makusha is supplementing her “O” level Mathematics and Integrated Science subjects with the hope of enrolling into nursing school.
