It’s nothing but net when Panashe Chiranga is on the court

Adding panache to the netball courts in a way that only she can is Panashe Chiranga.

Back in her teen years, she found herself intrigued by the athleticism of netball players, so she, being quite active herself, took part in the sport as an extra-mural activity.
Her time on the court has allowed her the opportunity to acquire lifelong friendships. “I have gained immeasurable life skills such as discipline, tenacity, compromise/teamwork, to name a few. It has opened doors to rooms I didn’t even know existed,” she said.

A competition she will always remember is the 2021 Telkom Netball League season playing for the Gauteng Golden Fireballs. After her debut in 2020, the 2021 season saw her taking to the court a lot more. She described it as a surreal experience to play at that level for the first time.
Other competitions she has taken part in are the annual University Sport South Africa Netball tournament from 2018 to 2023, the Spar National Women’s Championships and recently Varsity Netball.

She added nothing was more exciting than hearing the netball net ‘swoosh’ in her team’s favour. However, there are also challenges such as the lack of financial support which has made it difficult for her to explore the sport professionally. This has not stopped her from aiming to achieve her ultimate goal which is to play at the highest level – international.
She keeps her focus on her set goal by never letting disappointment consume her on days she is faced with adversity.

“I want to show others that you can have it all. Having been a student-athlete working a part-time job, I saw it is possible to live out your passions… it’s attainable,” said the post-graduate Wits student who is currently in training for the upcoming Telkom Netball League season.
To fellow sportswomen and men, her advice is, “Play like you’ll never play again.”

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