Kau-Kau Ladies lose key, budding players due to lack of sponsorship
Once a dominant netball force, Tigresses have been turned into ‘queen makers’ as they are struggling to keep players after losing sponsorship from Lilongwe Diary, Times Sport can reveal.
This is said to have compromised their chances of winning trophies.
Lilongwe Diary was sponsoring the team, under the banner of their product First Choice, to the tune of K20 million annually.
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Tigresses have in recent times lost key players such as goal defender Martha Dambo and goal shooter Awema Chikaonda.
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It is now over 10 years since the side last won a national trophy and four years since winning a regional accolade.
At national level, Tigresses plays second fiddle to Blue Eagles whereas at regional level, they fall behind Kukoma Diamonds.
Tigresses Coach Peace Chawinga-Kalua, while applauding Lilongwe Diary for supporting the side, said the team had a lot of challenges it was facing.
“We, as a team, face numerous challenges, including those pertaining to financial struggles, logistical problems, administrative burdens and a competitive disadvantage.
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“Without sponsors, we struggle to cover basic expenses such as equipment, uniforms and travel costs. We cannot pay players allowances. We also face difficulties in securing affordable training facilities, transportation and resources such as sports psychologists and physiotherapists,” she said.
Chawinga-Kaluwa said the most painful thing was their failure to maintain the squad as other clubs were ‘preying’ on them.
“Additionally, we struggle to attract and retain top talent, leading to a competitive imbalance. We have the capacity to nurture talent but, unfortunately, we have also lost several key team members due to our inability to provide them with the support and resources they deserved.
“We have struggled to offer competitive compensation packages, training facilities and resources, making it a challenge for us to retain our top players. Many of our athletes have been forced to seek opportunities elsewhere, [where] they get better support, exposure and development opportunities. It is painful to see our players leaving but we understand their decisions. We are proud of the role we played in their growth and development,” she said.
Two weeks ago, Tigresses lost to rivals Diamonds 48-37 and Chawinga-Kaluwa felt her youthful side could not match their experienced counterparts.
Netball Association of Malawi (Nam) General Secretary Yamikani Khungwa-Kauma said they were equally concerned with lack of sponsorship among teams.
“This is an area we need support,” she said.
