The Fistball Association of Namibia held the second league round of the year at Swakopmund on Saturday, showcasing the skills and dedication of the country’s top teams as they prepare for the World Championships in Mannheim, Germany.
The second league round featured impressive performances from Cohen Fistball Club (CFC) 1, who emerged victorious in all their matches, further securing their position as the top team in the National League A.
CFC 1 won all their matches 3-0 and are now five points clear of the second-placed team, Sport Klub Windhoek (SKW) 1.
CFC 2 and Swakopmund’s SFC 1 also put up strong showings, sharing points and ranking third in the standings.
In National League B, SFC 2 stood out, winning all their matches and moving up to second place.
“SFC 2 was like the team to beat yesterday. They won all the five matches and moved up,” said Helmo Minz, fistball association media officer.
Namibia’s national fistball team is now preparing for the World Championships in Mannheim, Germany, scheduled for 22 to 29 July.
Minz expressed optimism about the team’s chances.
“This is actually very exciting for the team going over, playing the World Cup, and the aim will be to defend the eighth place they have achieved four years ago,” he told The Namibian.
Despite the recent success, Namibian fistball faces challenges such as a limited number of players, lack of international exposure, and a less competitive National League A. However, Minz highlighted the sport’s improvement in the country, particularly the growing involvement of young players from SKW and SFC.
“It’s exciting news that there are up and coming youngsters which improve by every tournament, which is so cool to see,” said Minz.
While acknowledging the challenges, Minz also pointed out the unique position of Namibian fistball: “We are not so many people playing the sport, and then also the exposure internationally is limited. You have to fly from here in every direction at least 10 000 kilometers to play an international game since we are the only ones in Africa playing the sport.”
The next event on the fistball association’s calendar is the Indoor Classic on 13 May at Swakopmund, followed by the third league round in Windhoek at the CFC.
