THE Tanzania Netball Association (CHANETA) has unveiled plans to develop a strong Under-21 team capable of competing at international tournaments, including the Netball Youth World Cup.

CHANETA president Devotha Marwa, speaking in a recent interview, emphasized that in order for Tanzania to qualify for future Netball Youth World Cups, the game must be nurtured from the grassroots level.

“To achieve this vision, netball must be played in rural areas, schools, and communities. All clubs must have strong and active youth teams. From these junior teams, we can identify and select the best players to form the national Under-21 team,” said Marwa.

She added that CHANETA encourages all netball clubs to establish junior teams as part of a broader plan to grow the sport and support the development of female athletes. “Grassroots netball is also a vital tool for empowering girls and supporting their self-esteem and well-being,” she noted.

Marwa also revealed that the association plans to train more coaches who can help nurture the next generation of netball stars.

To date, Tanzania’s Under-21 netball team has never participated in a Netball Youth World Cup.

This year, the Netball Youth World Cup will be held in Gibraltar from September 19 to 28, featuring 20 national teams. African countries that have qualified for the tournament are South Africa, Malawi, and Zambia.

Five teams have pre-qualified for the tournament based on their top-four finish at the 2017 World Cup and host status: New Zealand, Australia, England, Fiji, and Gibraltar.

Other qualified teams include:

• Asia: Malaysia, Singapore, and Sri Lanka
• Americas: Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad & Tobago
• Europe: Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland
• Oceania: Samoa, Tonga, and the Cook Islands

The tournament will showcase the world’s best Under-21 netball talent and will be held at two major venues in Gibraltar - the Tercentenary Sports Hall and Europa Sports Park.