‘Silent killer’ Kamberipa nets top coaching job 

Former Desert Jewels attacking player Vijanda Kamberipa has brought her decorated playing career full circle by taking over as head coach of the national under-19 netball team.

The retired player, who starred for Unam and the Desert Jewels during her heyday, was born at Aminuis and raised at Omitiomire in the Omaheke region.

Her school career started in Windhoek.

“I started my Grade 1 at Maarti Ahtisaari Primary School in Wanaheda in Katutura, and it is also where I started playing netball in Grade 4.

“I was drafted into the goalkeeper position from the word go. However, I loved shooting like any other girl in that era. My career took an upturn when I went to high school.”

It was when she was a Grade 11 pupil at Jan Möhr Secondary School that she was recruited by the star-studded Civics.

Kamberipa says she wants to be remembered as a ‘silent killer’ on the court and an introvert off the court.

She was part of the junior Namibian team that rewrote the history books by being the first Namibian side that beat South Africa on their home soil in a netball match.

“I’m one player who can proudly say I was groomed for the senior national team, right from my days with the under-19 team. My netball career was glamorous,” she says.

“I was not a fast player, but I wasn’t slow either. What made me stand out from the rest of the players is that I was an intelligent player. I was an excellent reader of the game,” she says.

Kamberipa says she also played football growing up.

“I loved playing football above netball when I was much younger, and I was very good at it. Unfortunately, our schools were not exposing us to football, and so I didn’t take it any further,” she says.

Football’s loss was, however, netball’s gain.

“After I made my first appearance for the under-19 team during the All Ages Netball Championships in South Africa in 2008, I was promoted to the senior national team,” Kamberipa says.

“The senior netball team used me mostly as a wing-attack or goal-attack because of my attacking prowess. My debut for the senior team was at the Africa Games,” she says.

The player’s talent was also recognised beyond Namibian borders, as she was briefly signed by a Singapore professional netball team, where she says she picked up a lot of additional skills and experience. 

While studying at the University of Namibia between 2010 and 2013, Kamberipa also participated in the Confederation of Universities and Colleges Sports Association Games with the Tertiary Institutes Sports Association of Namibia teams. 

She won a gold and bronze medal, respectively.

Work, family 

The single mother of one is currently employed as a geographic information science specialist by the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs.

“Apart from working for the defence ministry, I’m also playing for its team in the Khomas Super 10 Netball League. I’ve also been running my Tanshi Netball Academy for the past 10 years,” Kamberipa says.

“I have quite a heavy schedule, because, apart from coaching the national under-19 team, I’m also the head coach of Tigers netball club in the MTC Netball Premier League. I’m a very ambitious coach.”

Kamberipa says her dream is to qualify the national netball team to the Netball World Cup before she can contemplate retiring from coaching.

“Either way, I’m proud of my journey.  I was nurtured by a number of important people in my career. However, I’m thankful to my mom and dad for always  providing,” she says.

The former goal-attack says what makes her stand out from other players is the fact that she was disciplined and hard-working. 

“I must say I’m really honoured that, apart from holding a stable job, I’m coaching at both the national team and club level. It’s quite challenging but comes with lots of fun. I’m actually living my dream,” she says.

‘Lifetime sisters’ 

“Although I can’t ignore the fact that we’ve been fiercely competing, I can’t deny the fact that netball also gave me lifetime sisters.”

Kamberipa says they were only enemies for the duration of the 60 minutes on the court.

“We genuinely look out for each other after the games,” she says. 

Being an owner of a development academy, Kamberipa deals with many young players. 

Her advice to them is: “Hard work and discipline open doors for you. Remain humble in your journey, and trust God to guide you through your dream.”

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