Recently-appointed Netball Namibia (NN) acting secretary general, Isack Hamata, expressed excitement at the new challenge, in an attempt to eventually professionalise the sport.
“I am there to make sure that we get netball back to where it used to be, by having proper structures in place.”
“There was a very efficient secretary general in the past, Imelda Neronga, but unfortunately when she left there was a vacuum,” he said.
“There is a seamless system that is working between the board and the secretariat, so that is why I accepted those responsibilities for now,” he added.
Hamata has been appointed acting secretary general for the next six months effective since the beginning of September.
The former sport journalist emphasised that he will not be paid for the job, and will do it on a voluntary basis.
“Netball Namibia approached me numerous times before, following the resignation of their elected secretary general. I realise that they need this service, while the country’s sport eco-system wants to professionalize sport codes in the country, and netball is one of them,” he said.
“It’s important to have structures in place that will be headed by the secretary general,” he added.
Hamata said he accepted the challenge to help NN put the necessary structures in place.
According to Hamata, NN’s vision is to become a professional sport code in Namibia.
“I need to look at what it will take for netball to become a professional code in the short, medium and long term.”
“For netball to become professional, one needs to look at human capacity, financial resources, policies and structures. You need to look at those things in their totality and use that as a vehicle to become professional,” he emphasised.
Hamata said a lot needs to be done in the shortest possible time, like engaging with sponsors and the government, while competitions need to be planned by the secretariat.
He said that he will also have a voluntary workforce under him, but must enforce effectiveness and efficiency as the head.
