Star Profile: Coming to Town Opened My Netball Gates- Kabendela Asinah
Very true kids from far town and urban centres find their talents die at an early stage because of no chance to exhibit it before the concerned people.
Its one of the reasons why netball is going back to grassroots to pick those talents back to life and young ones get hope of going far using their talent as a stepping stone.
The She Cranes and Weyonje Netball Club Forward, Asinah Kabendela narrates her Netball journey how leaving village to town inspired her more to take netball as a serious sport.
The lanky [182.9 cm] goal shooter, Asinah Kabendela was born on 18th, August, 1999 (22 years] to Mr. Kaziba Mawazi and Mrs, Babirye Zakia. The former Arusha City Council Netball Club shooter is the 6th child in the family of 12 and she is the only netballer.
“I am the only netball player in my family, in our lineage we don’t have any sporty, only I heard my dad saying that my grand father wanted him to play boxing but it didn’t go far, maybe am seeing my little one trying football. ” Asinah narrates.
Education Journey;
The born of Jinja, Asinah sat her Primary leaving examination at St Joy Primary School- Wayilaka Jinja in 2013.
At half bursary, Kabendela joined the prominent sports school in Eastern region that is Jinja SS in 2014 for her form one education. After senior two, in 2016, Kabendela went to Rock High School Tororo where she spent only one year before joining Luyanzi College- Bweyogerere Campus in 2017 while in form four. She also completed her Advanced level education at the same school in 2019.
Currently, Asinah is pursuing a bachelor’s in Business Computing at Makerere University Business School, Nakawa, she joined the institute in 2020.
Netball Journey:
“St Joy was an international school, it had many ball games, as a kid I tried many, like basketball, volleyball, netball, but it wasn’t so serious because we never had competitions” Kambedela on how she started netball.
While looking for a vacancy at Jinja SS in 2014, Kabendela got a chance to have a half bursary at the school since a coach of that school saw potential in her even before seeing her playing.
“Many students were at the school looking for a vacancy, a man by then I didn’t know that he is coach, Magala Fred, asked me whether I can play netball, because I was young but tall, he took the contacts of my sister, whom I went with, and asked us to come back in the evening, I got the half bursary at school and I continued with netball.”
In her narrations, Kabendela played netball but not on a serious level until she joined Luyanzi College in 2017.
“I started getting into serious netball when I joined luyanzi, I started to get serious notes about netball.”
While at Luyanzi, Kabendela won the National Novice, Buganda Cup and qualified her school to East Africa Championship in 2018 and they won a bronze medal.
In 2019, Kabendela got a deal in Tanzania, played for Arusha City Council Netball club for one season before getting a job in Weyonje NC in 2020. In her first season in Uganda’s league, she won the top scorer’s gong after netting over 800 goals, appeared in the best seven of the season team and reached at the podium of the best three players in 2021.
The shooter who has ambitions of playing professional netball especially after her studies, she credits people like; Weyonje netball club head coach, Assiimwe Jesse, her Agent, Wasswa Joseph and Journalist, Kayiira Jackson.
“Yes, I have people I do credit in my netball journey, my Coach at Weyonje, Jesse, actually the netball skills, most are from him because he was with me even at Luyanzi, my Agent, does guide me always, Kayiira Jackson, a journalist, he made people to know me, even my family, they never come to watch me while playing but the see me on tv, viewing my photos while playing and most of them are taken by Jackson, so it would be unfair if I don’t credit him, he is doing a tremendous job for netball.” Asinah in her words.
Though she has no any cap at national team the she cranes, Kabendela started getting summons in 2017, Under 18 summon, senior team call came in 2021 and she believes her time will come.
Profile:
Name: Kabendela Asinah
Nickname: Asinahan Shakx
Date of Birth: 18th , August , 1999.
Place of Birth: Jinja
Parents: Mr. Kaziba Mawazi
Position: Goal Shooter/ Goal Attacker
Strong Hand: Right
Strength: Shooting Accuracy, Shooting from far and close at ring.
Weight: 79kg
Height: 182.9 cm
Previous Club: Arusha City Council Netball Club [Tanzania] 2019.
Current Club: Makindye Weyonje Netball Club
Role Model: Jhaniele Fowler.
Credited people; Coach Assiimwe Jesse, Wasswa Joseph (My Agent), Kayiira Jackson (Journalist).
Achievements:
Individual level:
2018: East Africa Championship Bronze Medal with Luyanzi
2019: Gold Medal with Arusha City Council
Best Moments in Netball: When I traveled to South Africa with Weyonje NC.
Worst Moment: When I got injury in 2021 while playing against UPDF in Bombo.
Ambitions: Being the best shooter in Uganda and playing Professional netball.
Youth Netball Career:
2014-15: Jinja SS
2016: Rock High School Tororo
2017-19: Luyanzi College School Bweyogerere campus.
Senior Career [Club]:
2019: Arusha City Council Netball Club [Tanzania]
2020-todate: Makindye Weyonje Netball Club