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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
PLATINUM Queens netball team captain Nomagugu Makhalima has advised netball players to prioritise education to have something to fall back on once they call time on their playing careers.

The 23-year-old Makhalima, who started her club netball career with FreeStars in Bulawayo, said it was unavoidable that their time on the court will come to an end and as such players need to have something to turn to once that time comes.

She said players need to avoid situations whereby they end up blaming themselves for choosing to play netball.

The former Mpopoma High School learner is studying Developmental Studies at the Midlands State University (MSU).

Makhalima said it was important for netball players to live with the reality that one day they will call it quits and there is need to plan for their future now.

“One should ask themselves critical questions like, ‘do you have a stable job after netball, will you have a decent life post netball career?’ These are the reasons that one must have some life skills or education as a back up. Play netball, but also help yourself to study hard so that at the end of your netball career you won’t blame yourself for choosing netball. One should always keep this at the back of their mind, especially since anything can happen during your playing career like injuries. With education, you can always have other opportunities,” Makhalima wrote on Facebook.

In her six-year playing career, Makhalima was part of the Zimbabwe teams at the Confederation of School Sport Association of Southern Africa (Cossasa) from 2013 to 2015.

She was also in the national squad for the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games in 2014 and 2015 and also travelled to Botswana for the Youth World Cup Championships in which Zimbabwe finished 10th.

Platinum Queens play in the Glow Petroleum sponsored Rainbow Amateur Netball League.