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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

This aptly describes the superb year by the country’s senior netball team, the Gems.

The team wrote one of the most inspiring scripts in Zimbabwean sport this year.

For a sport that has previously endured neglect, and lack of support, the Vitality Netball World Cup brought a ray of hope.

It was one of the major positives for netball this year as individuals and corporates, including Econet Wireless, National Foods and Simbisa Brands, among others, supported the team. The Gems cheered the nation with their fine performances at the world stage when they surprised many by finishing eighth.

They managed three wins against Sri Lanka, Northern Ireland and Barbados, which saw them coming eighth.

However, it hasn’t been smooth sailing as boardroom squabbles have been hogging the limelight, of late. The Zimbabwe Netball Association have been accused of maladministration with several allegations being raised against them.

The allegations include lack of transparency and accountability.

ZINA have also failed to reach common ground with splinter league, Rainbow Amateur Netball League, which at some point, ahead of the World Cup, threatened to affect the national team.

The mother body threatened to bar players from being considered into national teams.

Last year they were directed by the Sports Commission to accommodate other leagues but nothing materialised.

The feud between the two parties has dragged on for almost two years and it’s only recently that the Sports Commission ordered ZINA to hold elections by January 31 next yea.

They were also ordered to register RANL and allow the league to run.

Although ZINA have been reluctant to acknowledge the RANL, the splinter league have for the second year managed to run a viable league with Correctional Queens emerging the 2019 champions.

ZINA have also been found wanting after the Gems almost failed to fulfil their Africa Cup assignment in Cape Town, South Africa, in October.

Only the intervention of National Foods, at the last minute, helped the team to travel to Cape Town on the day the tournament took off.

Their campaign suffered a huge dent as they missed their opening encounter against Uganda.

As if that was not enough, the netball motherbody withdrew the national Under-21 side from the Spar Challenge in South Africa at the eleventh hour.

The South Africans had committed to help Zimbabwe meet part of the expenses for the trip.

But, even that incentive could not even inspire the national association to seize the opportunity for the development of the sport.

South Africa had to engage Lesotho to replace Zimbabwe.

Looking ahead, there is need to go back to the drawing board, reflect on the success and failures 2019 brought into the sport.

And, the focus should be the bigger picture than the individuals and their egos.