Resilience, leadership, Jewel: The Anna Shipanga story

She may have hung up her Desert Jewels dress, but Anna Shipanga’s legacy is here to stay. The former national netball star announced her retirement from the Desert Jewels recently, closing a chapter defined by resilience, commitment, and quiet leadership.

Shipanga’s journey started far from the bright lights at Omatyatya village near Onyaanya in the Oshikoto region.

From Mariabronn Catholic Primary School’s courts to representing the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust), and then getting snapped up by Tigers, Shipanga climbed every rung with grit.

While she became a mainstay for the Desert Jewels in the centre position, dictating play with poise, her heart belongs to wing-defence.

“It’s actually an exciting position, but for one reason or another, the most underrated,” the former national team centre says.

“My job was to stop the other team’s wing-attack from feeding the circle. You had to be on high alert the whole time. I loved that.”

Playing for Namibia didn’t just take her across borders. It gave her two international titles and memories she’ll carry forever.