Zambia: Zambia Army has awarded the eight players from Green Buffaloes Netball Club who were part of the Zambia National Netball team that historically won the Africa Netball Cup in Gaborone, Botswana.
The Zambia Netball team beat Namibia 57 to 55 after a second quarter of extra time to be crowned the Netball Africa Champions for the first time.
Green Buffaloes Netball Club contributed eight players, among them, the National team Captain, Warrant Officer Class Two Nakazwe Beauty, who came out as the best shooter of the tournament.
The Green Buffaloes players have been awarded a tune of K5,000 each and will be paid out of pocket allowances for all the days they were in Botswana during the tournament.
Commander Zambia Army, Lieutenant General Sitali Dennis Alibuzwi, says, “The achievement of winning the tournament has made the nation proud, but most importantly is that Zambia Army is celebrating in style considering the number of players the club contributed to the national team.”
Lt Gen Alibuzwi has re-assured the sports directorate of Command’s resolve to support the various sports disciplines, urging the players always to remain disciplined.
And Sports, Commerce and Community Services Branch Deputy Director General, Colonel Priscilla Katoba, has thanked Command for the continued support to the various sports disciplines.
Albert Nyirenda, Development Director at Life of Christ Power Embassy, Lusaka, said, “We need a military mentality in all sports discipline, and My observation has been that athletes from the men and women in uniforms usually fight for a win with extra energy.”
Furthermore, he asserted, “Any sports person you can think of coming from the army will display some uncommon attitude towards any game like they’re in a battle, and they will give it everything it deserves to win.”
“The endurance and unstoppableness effect. To them, it’s like they are defending the country. You would see this so vividly in Skipper Christopher Katongo and his brother, in Nathan Sinkaka…and many more. Look at the girls who are coming from the army; they play with a military mentality.”
Moreover, Nyirenda feels that there is a need to bring sports and military discipline closer. Athletes must have a sense of a battle when going on the field of play. It’s only the army that can teach such a fighting spirit in our women and men in various sports disciplines.