DEDICATED, brave and charismatic are the words that sum up Mwenda Bwalya’s passion in the sport of handball.
Fondly known as ‘Boshido’ in the handball circles on account of his proficiency and exploits on the court, Bwalya, whose sporting life has always been all about handball, is a hard working and very tenacious centre back for Lusaka-based club Kasisi Dynamites.
As Zambia prepares to host the International Handball Federation (IHF) Zone Six Challenge, Bwalya’s bravery and charisma will be a key element to Zambia’s quest for a positive outcome that is nonetheless than emerging victorious.
By definition, a centre back is a creative handball player in the game because they direct play in both defense and attack.
The player in that position is a ‘playmaker’, who sets up the tactics and the players in shooting positions, and this shows how important the players who occupy this position in the team.
Bwalya is a player who is capable of stepping up from the back and joining in attack with his strong shooting from out wide, although his main strength is his solid defending in the centre. He is physically imposing and adds aggression, effort, dedication, passion, good sportsmanship and commitment to his natural abilities.
He is one of the most complete players on the local stage, though yet to make his mark on the international platform.
It was not by mistake that Bwalya was going to be a handball player because prior to joining the sport in 2011, he played football for fun before he took on handball which he found to be more attractive than other sports.
Had Bwalya made a mark in football, handball was going to lose one of the brightest stars for the future.
Born of Fredrick Bwalya and Dina Lungu on April 1, 1998, Bwalya had his first handball practice at the age of 13 and he well remembers what it was like at Kasisi Dynamites, a club that was pioneered by the current Handball Association of Zambia (HAZ) president Bwalya Banda.
“My first experience in handball was at Kasisi Dynamite which I am still playing for. I was introduced to the sport by Mr. Bwalya Banda, who is the president of the Handball Association of Zambia when he just founded the club.”
“As a ball marker, I get my inspiration   from Mr. Banda because I love the way he plays handball during practice games,” he says, “Mr. Banda has played the major part in the development of my career. From the beginning of my handball experience, he was encouraging me every day I turned up for games and handball became part of my life and it has not changed since.”
Bwalya has since cemented his position as a number one choice in the Dynamites starting lineup and he has managed to attract cheers during games because of efforts in the team have seen Dynamites remain a dominant force in the league.
He has perfected his passing and catching skills, tricks and other elements of handball and his contributions to the club have made him an integral part of the team.
The biggest highlight of his career is donning national colours in the under-20 national team. Bwalya has won various national tournaments that also include the league title while his learning curve in the past three years has shown an upward trend.
Professionalism and obligations that come with being a dedicated handball player have made their way into his life so swiftly. From a humble beginning, Bwalya’s fan base is slowly swelling.
Fans have been trooping to the courts to watch Bwalya in action and he has proved himself to the public and everybody associated with handball that he can play under pressure on the high level game. His ultimate target is to position himself within the world’s most respected handball players and become a ‘reliable commodity’ for Zambia.
“I owe my success to my parent so much for their sacrifice and teachings and the encouragements they have continued to render to me and this has effectively contributed to make me a better person and reach this far.”
“Our team manager Andrew Kalunga has also been very supportive to the wellbeing of the team. The rest of the players appreciate his contributions and personally, I will continue to work hard so that Zambia’s handball can achieve milestones on the continent and beyond.”
“I would like to call upon my teammates to train hard ahead of the Zone Six Challenge if we are to positive results for our country. Handball is a team sport which requires combined effort and once we put our efforts together both on and off the court, we can become an unstoppable force,” he says.
Bwalya recently inspired his club to winning the 2014 Zambia National Service (ZNS) Championship and outstanding performance saw him named Man of the Match in the final.
Bwalya belongs to the most outstanding handball players of today. Although he’s only 16-years-old, he is on the right path to achieving everything a sportsman could attain.
“I want to make big in handball just like others have done. My dream is to play at the Olympics and the World Handball Championship, but first I have to guide team Zambia to winning the IHF Zone Six Challenge which we are hosting,” he says.
According to his own statement, the athlete aims at becoming ‘perfect’ and true to experiences, he will certainly become one of the most remarkable handball players in Zambia.
Zambia is currently ranked 9th on the African continent and second in the sub region; the Zone Six challenge is therefore an opportunity for the lads to breakthrough to playing in the top flight.
For now, we can only wish ‘Boshido’ the best as he prepares to inspire the Zambian team to victory at the forthcoming tournament.
Send your comments to moseschimfwembe@gmail.com/0955484702