Equity Bank Netball team during a past tournament in Nairobi. Photo/File
Equity Bank netball women’s team has beefed up their squad with five national under 21 players that have been romped in from the recently concluded World Youth Netball Cup, Africa Qualifiers in Pretoria, South Africa where Kenya finished fifth out of the seven countries that participated.
Speaking in Nairobi on Sunday at their training base, head coach Everline Cherono was adamant that Kenyan Netball lies with giving the youth opportunities that would have otherwise gone elsewhere.
” I travelled all the way to Busia County to watch the school games last year and was impressed with about seven girls that I came back with to Nairobi. Five of them made the cut to the national under 21 team and I am now sure that at least two or three will soon make their senior debuts and by recruiting them to Equity, it just gives them more responsibilities that will speed up their maturity,” said an excited Cherono who also added that she is looking forward to this year’s national school games and hopefully she is going to find some potentials that can be moulded into future national team players.
Cherono’s charges are all graduates of Bumala Girls High School in Busia County Led by 18 year old Center Miriam Wamani who captained Kenya’s youth team while in South Africa.
Her classmate, 19 year old best shooter Yvonne Nyaino has also joined Equity together with 19 year old Naham Ogot, and are gearing to form a deadly attack for the bankers.
Equity’s back line has also been injected with the fresh blood of 18 year old Vivian Adeke who will be deployed at Wing Defense while red hot Bridgit Amusugot who just turned 19 will challenge for the first team position as a Goal Keeper.
The club’s captain Ruth Chesang’ has hailed her coach’s endeavours terming the move as noble and futuristic saying that the objective now is to win trophies and titles and the older players are going to do everything possible to make the newcomers comfortable.
” The Club’s admistration has a long term project that I am happy to be part of. With the new guys settling in, ours is just to make them comfortable and together I know we are destined for greater heights this year,” said Chesang’.
As the five prodigies are already tasting a breath of fresh air with the bankers, life seems to be now with the high rollers of Kenyan Netball with now who is willing to spend and cough up some cash that will attract players if not getting employment opportunities, a wake up call to other clubs if at all the national Netball League is to be attractive and competitive.
