In preparation for upcoming Commonwealth games, she Cranes has intensified their training at the Kamokya Community Sports Center
The training, conducted for 30 days with two sessions every day, will see the 30-player squad reduced to 20 players, and then later to 15 who will enter a residential camp of two weeks prior to the games.
Assistant Coach Sarah Namuddu, while talking to media commented: “The first day the girls had fatigue because they were just coming from East Africa club championship, but after being undertaken by fitness coach Kinene, their fitness levels have improved a lot and ball work is great.”
“For now we are focusing on discipline first, fitness and then performance, coordination and other things will follow later but we want to first look at those three and may be the few mistakes here and there.”
However, defenders Shaffie Nalwanja, Privas Kayeny and Sarah Nakiyunga are still unavailable due to illness.
That takes the tally of absentees to five including team captain Peace Prosicovia and Mary Nuba who are still engaged with their respective clubs in England.
She Cranes was pitted in group B with Hosts England, Newzealand, Malawi, Northern Ireland and Trinidad &Tobago, they will open the campaign with New Zealand on Saturday 30th, July.
She Cranes Land Another Sponsor Ahead of Commonwealth
The She Cranes have on Wednesday at UNF offices received a sponsorship package from Plascon Uganda to boost their preparations.
The painting company has announced a package of Sh70M were 50M received in cash while the 20M will go in Marketing and branding with the goal of attracting other corporate sponsors.
Plascon joins Gotv who got on board in early March with a deal worthy Sh81.6M as an initial package.
It should be noted that Uganda Netball Federation budget to cater for She Cranes Commonwealth games is over Sh250M.
Addressing the press on behalf of Plascon, the managing Director Santosh Gumte who applauded the position and the status of netball in the country, said: “Plascon supporting Netball because we see it as women empowerment and we cannot discuss gender equality without it being extended to sports and given as much attention especially in terms of allocation of funds.”
“We understand that there are other aspects that need to fall in place such as structures to ensure a consistent conveyor belt of talent coming through and breaking social barriers that may still be reluctant to embrace the girl child taking on a career in sports, but we must start somewhere.
“The sponsorship is basically for commonwealth preparations, its still a small token, but it’s a good start, and we hope to increase on this next year when renewing our commitment with the Netball Federation. We believe with more consistent investment in women sports we shall augment the government efforts to uplift and promote gender equality in this country.”
On behalf of the Netball Federation, The federation president Sarah Babirye thanked Plascon for their consideration.
“I thank plascon in a special way because they had made their budget already, so I don’t think that they had budgeted for us, but giving us 70 millions in the mid of financial year, believe me they must have made alot of cuts here and there to accommodate us, so I thank them for considering us, we don’t take this for granted,” said Babirye.
“I want to assure you that you have made a right call, we are here to give the kind of visibility you need, UNF is determined to excel in all aspects, and having this partnership with us is something you will be proud of and ounce again thank you for the trust, choosing netball in 52 federation is something we can never take for granted.”
