Murangi the sunshine in local netball
By Michael Uugwanga
RISING young sports star, netball prodigy Sunshine Murangi has shown skill and tactical abilities well beyond her years and is already making a big name for herself in the MTC Namibia Netball Premier League (NNPL) for Grootfontein Netball Club.
The 20-year-old started playing netball at the tender age of nine at Bethold Himuimuine Primary School in Windhoek.
Ironically, Murangi used to run in both the 200m and 400m alongside the country’s most decorated young sprinters, Christine Mboma and Beatrice Masilingi at Grootfontein Agriculture College in the Otjozondjupa region and also specialised in high jump and she is now busy learning to play volleyball.
Like Mboma and Masilingi, Murangi is one of the athletes benefitting from a sports scholarship from top athletic coach Henk Botha, the coach of both Mboma and Masilingi.
Murangi got a scholarship, thanks to her adopted mother Marvellous Khaebes, who also happens to be her coach at Grootfontein Netball Club, who recommended Murangi to Botha regarding her netball talent.
Even though, Murangi plays for Grootfontein Netball Club, she keeps herself fit by training regularly with Life Fighters Netball Club in Otjiwarongo where she is based, while she commutes with Khaebes to Grootfontein twice a week to train with her team.
“I started playing netball at Bethold Himuimuine primary school after I was picked by a teacher at a soccer field. In 2014 I moved to Okandjira settlement with my father and continued playing netball.
“In 2019 Khaebes through the teachers at my school called my father saying she wanted to offer me a scholarship to school in Grootfontein and train with her, and ever since that day I am like her own child in her house. I have learned so much from her and others. Today, many people keep on telling me that I am a good netball player and that I will go far with netball,” said Murangi.
Although, Grootfontein Netball Club is currently struggling, playing in the goalkeeper and goal defence positions for her club, Murangi has been in spectacular form, as a result she has been contributing to her team’s success from the back, with her club in sixth place on the log with five points from five matches played so far.
“We have worked so hard as individuals in training. I feel so good to be part of Grootfontein Netball Club. My best friend at the club is Hilia Shinangolo and what I like most about her is she is tiny but a very aggressive midcourt player,” said Murangi.
The MTC NNPL league was suspended in June amid Covid-19 regulations and is set to resume on September 3.
Tigers are leading the log with 12 points, ahead of second placed team Namibian Correctional Service with 10 points, and third placed team is Mighty Gunners with eight points.