Mary Waya
Encyclopedia
Mary Waya is a Malawi
an netball
player and coach. Waya started playing international-level netball at age 14, and has played in more than 200 representative matches for Malawi. During that time she has competed in two World Netball Championships (1995 and 2007), three Commonwealth Games
(1998, 2006 and 2010), and two World Netball Series
(2009 and 2010).
Waya came to international prominence during the 2007 World Championships in New Zealand, where the Malawian national team
(the "Queens") finished 5th, their highest ever placing. She announced her retirement after the tournament, but returned to international competition the following year. She remains the national team's most high-profile player, and was chosen as the flag bearer for the Malawi team at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
in Delhi.
After the 2010 World Series
in Liverpool, Waya again announced her retirement from international netball, along with Queens veterans Peace Chawinga-Kalua and Esther Nkhoma. She turned her attention to coaching, and later that year stepped into the role of head coach of the Malawi U-20 netball team.
The Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) held negotiations with the three retired players to try to convince them to return to the Queens. On 15 June 2011, the NAM announced that Waya had agreed to return to the national team, along with Queens veterans Esther Nkhoma and Sylvia Mtetemela; Peace Chawinga-Kalua had earlier signed as assistant coach for the team. Media reports in Malawi indicated that the return of the three veterans players had caused major tension in the Queens squad, which led Waya to withdraw early from the squad's training camp.
In domestic netball, Waya plays for the MTL Queens. She was married to the late Bullets FC
player Fumu Ng'oma, before they later separated; Waya and Ng'oma have two sons.
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
an netball
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
player and coach. Waya started playing international-level netball at age 14, and has played in more than 200 representative matches for Malawi. During that time she has competed in two World Netball Championships (1995 and 2007), three Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
(1998, 2006 and 2010), and two World Netball Series
World Netball Series
The World Netball Series is an international netball competition that was contested for the first time in October 2009. The new competition features modified "fastnet" rules, and has been likened to Twenty20 cricket and rugby sevens...
(2009 and 2010).
Waya came to international prominence during the 2007 World Championships in New Zealand, where the Malawian national team
Malawi national netball team
The Malawi national netball team, nicknamed "The Queens", represent Malawi in international netball competition. Malawi have played in five World Netball Championships, famously finishing fifth in 2007. The Queens are currently coached by Edith Kaliati...
(the "Queens") finished 5th, their highest ever placing. She announced her retirement after the tournament, but returned to international competition the following year. She remains the national team's most high-profile player, and was chosen as the flag bearer for the Malawi team at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
2010 Commonwealth Games
The 2010 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games, were held in Delhi, India, from 3 to 14 October 2010. A total of 6,081 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies competed in 21 sports and 272 events, making it the largest Commonwealth Games till date...
in Delhi.
After the 2010 World Series
2010 World Series
The 2010 World Series was the 106th occurrence of Major League Baseball's championship series. The best-of-seven playoff, played between the American League champion Texas Rangers and the National League champion San Francisco Giants, began on Wednesday, , and ended on Monday, , with the Giants...
in Liverpool, Waya again announced her retirement from international netball, along with Queens veterans Peace Chawinga-Kalua and Esther Nkhoma. She turned her attention to coaching, and later that year stepped into the role of head coach of the Malawi U-20 netball team.
The Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) held negotiations with the three retired players to try to convince them to return to the Queens. On 15 June 2011, the NAM announced that Waya had agreed to return to the national team, along with Queens veterans Esther Nkhoma and Sylvia Mtetemela; Peace Chawinga-Kalua had earlier signed as assistant coach for the team. Media reports in Malawi indicated that the return of the three veterans players had caused major tension in the Queens squad, which led Waya to withdraw early from the squad's training camp.
In domestic netball, Waya plays for the MTL Queens. She was married to the late Bullets FC
Big Bullets
Big Bullets is a Malawian football club based in Blantyre and by unconfirmed statistics, Malawi’s popular football club and has dominated the country’s major soccer league, TNM Super League, since it was formed in 1967.-History:...
player Fumu Ng'oma, before they later separated; Waya and Ng'oma have two sons.