Mikia Kalati
THE newly elected Lesotho Netball Association (LNA) president, Sheila Moluoane, has vowed to improve the standards of the sport in the country following her election on Sunday at Victoria Hotel, in Maseru.
Moluoane replaced her former boss, Moipoine Mashale, who decided not stand for re-election.
Mashale had told this paper ahead of the elections that she had done her part and it was time to bring new ideas.
Moluoane said on top of her agenda would be the enhancement of competitiveness of the sport in the country and provision of resources for teams outside Maseru.
“I want to see the sport growing in the districts because I have learned from my time traveling around the country that we are blessed with talent,” Moluoane said.
“We even have the height that we have always complained about in international games”
Moluoane told the Lesotho Times that her love for netball comes from her days in primary school and she continued with the sport through different stages until tertiary education level.
“From my time playing the sport in primary school, I have never looked back and have always been involved in netball.
“I have coached to help out young players after my retirement as a player until I moved into the management side of the game,” she told this publication.
“It is then that I joined the Lerotholi Polytechnic netball team when I was employed there.
“I helped the team become competitive and it was from my involvement at the institution that I earned a place in the netball association where I served as the treasurer for two terms before being elected as the president,” she said.
She said her exposure at the LNA will help her hit the ground running as she is abreast with the issues in the organisation.
“I think that is the one advantage that I have, because I do not have to waste any time trying to settle.”
She however, admitted that her committee faces an uphill task to lure the corporate world into netball.
“One of the major challenges is that we need financial support to help us on this journey. We have sponsors that are already on board and what is important is keep them closer and look for more to make our life easier as the association.
“Securing sponsors can help us a great deal in the improvement of the level of competition and facilities country wide.”
The new committee’s biggest assignment in the upcoming months would be the improvement of Lesotho’s performance in the continental competition after a poor showing in 2017.
The rest of the committee: Vice President: Lineo Palime
Secretary General: Anna Shale
Vice Secretary General: Puseletso Maisa
Treasurer: Keketso Mokitimi
Director Development: Telang Machela
PRO -Media: Boiketlo Hanyane
PRO-Marketing: Masoetsa Liphapang
Central Rep: Matsepo ‘Musi
North Rep: Mamahali Khohleli
South Rep: Tsebo Maliehe.
