Peace Proscovia

Speaking on:

What it means for the Ugandan Netball team to appear at a Commonwealth Games . . .

"Getting into the Commonwealth Games has been one of the greatest achievements for Uganda netball and this is something that we have been yearning for, coming onto the world stage is a great opportunity to inspire young girls with this sport."

Being captain of the She Cranes . . . 

"Its' amazing and I am really so grateful to be captain of the She Cranes, that is something that I have always wanted to do, interacting with the girls is something that I love with a passion. From childhood I have been leading people on many occasions so it is a challenge that I have to take with joy."

The secret behind their recent rise up the world rankings . . .

"Well when we first surfaced for the World Cup in Sydney we learnt a lot form those games, we came into play but at the same time we came in to learn other skills and to get the experience. Sometimes when you lose, you learn, so when we lost the games in the World Cup, we learnt and the challenges that we got given are things that have now lifted us. One professor said to me that if you are never challenged then it will never change you, so we got changed through the experience that we got from that World Cup. The passion that the girls have for Netball is what has brought them to where they are today because if you watch them play you would really know that these girls have passion, they enjoy the sport."

How Netball has changed her life . . .

"Netball has changed my life in many ways, one of the tremendous changes is that my ability to go to school and study through a sports scholarship is something that has been my greatest achievement. Me leaving my home and country to go and play professional Netball in England is something that I never dreamt of and it wouldn't have come just from my talent, I am really grateful for it. Most of all I am so grateful to all of my sponsors, including the government of Uganda who always stood by our side and exposed us to the world. It is from exposure that you get to be spotted. Another big thanks is to my first club that I played for in this world, they brought me up to the city and impacted some skill in me, from there the world got to know about me, I must credit them."

Where her motivation comes from to be the best . . .

"I just love Netball, that's the truth, from the time that I came into the sport I love it with passion and I have that self-belief, that self-motivation that keeps me going no matter what comes my way. I really do all that is within my means and nothing distracts me, that's the kind of person that I am. I'm never distracted by any circumstances in this world, the only thing that challenges me is what I do not know, for example the strength of my competitor. Besides that I take everything with passion and I operate under any conditions, being good or not. That's what has pushed me to this level."

If her Netball and her personal Christian faith link . . .

"They link a lot because being a Christian is what has pushed me up to today. I lean on God and following the biblical view of things in this world is what has made me overcome challenges. If I was not a Christian then I would have been taken up by the pleasures of this world and the desires of my heart. I decide not to led by them but instead to be led by the spirit. That is one of the greatest motivations, even if things go badly I know that the Bible says everything happens according to the plan of God. I believe that there is a power behind my existence and that power itself is what has destined my life. Everything that comes to me according to the timing of God because he holds timings and seasons in his hands. That's what I believe and that is what has pushed me so far."

Her message to young Netballers around the world . . .

"All I can tell them is that they must have the belief, the motivation and they have to know that Netball as a female-dominant sport can change your life. Talent can take you to places, you don't have to be born into a rich family for you to achieve your dream. I myself was not born in a rich family but I believed that Netball could change my life, it has done it for me and I believe it can do it for them too. The road is not going to be easy, there are challenges, but the challenges that we face are what make us stronger. When you fall down get up, that's the way forward in life."

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