GreenFuel making positive strides
AS the Premier Netball League takes a break after the completion of the 2022 programme, GreenFuel coach Sibonginkosi Dube is content with the progress her side made this year after finishing second.
It was an improvement for the side that finished fourth last season.
They concluded the just-ended season with 66 points from 36 matches.
Dube joined the club last year just before the season started in September on a rebuilding mission that saw her bringing in young players and managed to lead the team to a fourth- place finish which she said was a good sign.
The PNL had a crush programme last year that ran from September to November as netball returned on the local scene after a break due to Covid- 19.
Going into the 2022 season, Dube said her personal target was to lead GreenFuel to a top three finish and coming second was a bonus.
“The company had not set me a target; we are still rebuilding the team within the first months that I have taken the team. But I had given myself a target of finishing in the top three of which I think finishing on number two was a bonus.
“So I think the highlights of this season — first leg I lost to ZDF with one score, on the second round I beat them with 10 scores, convincingly.
“We have managed to hold our own against the big teams, we have beaten Ngezi home and away, we have beaten Harare City, the formidable teams in the league.
“And the other great highlight, right now in senior camp I have got three players from GreenFuel. Beginning of the season there are girls who went to Malawi, the Under- 19, there were only four from GreenFuel, right now I have six players that have been called to camp for the Under- 19.
“The seniors I had only managed to send one at the beginning of the season, right now they have taken three,” said Dube.
The club’s players that made the Gems’ squad currently in camp are Nicole Muzanenhamo, Thandekile Mahlangu and Thandazile Ndlovu, who is also part of the Under- 19s. Dube believes having a young team has been one of the major drivers of the club’s progress as well as the support system on the ground.
“I will attribute it to about three factors. The first one I am training juniors. The good thing about training juniors, they are at a stage where they don’t know how good they are. So training people who don’t know how good they are, yet they are very good, it’s quite easy to do.
“And discipline wise they are willing to learn. They are willing to give their all, they believe in themselves, they believe they can go far, so it’s easy to train someone who is motivated.
“Secondly, I have had immense support from the management because I don’t even stay there but they understood. And the training equipment, the training gear that I need, the support system around me is quite good.
“Then lastly I would attribute it to the foundation that I started from, the support team that I have myself, the foundation is Bulawayo Netball. I have great support from Bulawayo,” said Dube. Platinum Queens retained the title and ZDF Queens were placed third.