Joyce Mvula ready for special Mother's Day

This Mother’s Day will be extra special for Joyce Mvula.

The NIC Leeds Rhinos shooter will spend the day with her 10-year-old son Sangwani for the first time, after he joined her in the UK at the end of last year.

It marked an important moment in Mvula’s life and career, after previously leaving her family behind in Malawi in order to compete in the Netball Super League.

“It is going to be very special, it is our first one here. I can’t wait,” she said.

“I have been playing here for seven years, so most of the time I have been missing him and wondering ‘what is he doing?’ Now after training or a game, I am going to find him.

“I thought of doing it last year. I didn’t know where to start and wondered what it would be like to raise him here, but I felt last year it was the right time.

“He is loving it. It is a bit different to Africa but he is adapting to it.”

Now in her eighth season in the Netball Super League, Mvula has established herself as one of the most feared shooters around.

Six seasons at Manchester Thunder yielded two Super League titles, including an undefeated season in 2022, before she spent a season in New Zealand with Central Pulse.

Mvula returned to the UK last season with Rhinos and re-signed for the 2025 season to lead the attack once more.

The Malawi international is ready to step up her game to the next level thanks to the support of her son in the stands.

“When we are at a game and he is there, seeing him watching me makes me feel good,” she added.

“He wants the best for me. I don’t want him to see me losing, so I try hard every time.

“It is helping me a lot on court. He watches everything and he wants to learn more. He is happy seeing me winning.”

Mvula has balanced being a mother and a netballer for the past decade, with her mother looking after Sangwani in Malawi.

Now, the 30-year-old is embracing getting to know her son all over again after spending time apart while pursuing her netball dreams.

She added: “My mum took him when he was four months old, so I didn’t do much raising him. I was a supporter for him financially but I didn’t do much.

“When I was on my own with him in the UK, I was so stressed. Now that my sister is here, it is a bit easier.

“I am in the middle of finding out what he likes the most. I wasn’t in his life a lot, so I didn’t know. He loves swimming.

“It is nice to see how kind he is and how lovely he is. I was missing that. He loves cuddles and hugs.”

With her son now by her side, Mvula is feeling increasingly at home in Leeds as she embarks on her second season with Rhinos.

Her time at Manchester Thunder means she is no stranger to the cold weather, but the shooter now feels complete with her family in the UK.

“I was feeling lonely and missing him,” she said. “Since he has been here, it is very different. My flesh and blood is here, this is home.

“I feel at home, Leeds is home. The girls are lovely. I love it here.

“Sangwani loves the [Rhinos] girls and he misses them when they are not there. They are like his aunties.”

A settled life off the court has clearly been helping Mvula on it, with the shooter helping Rhinos to a steady start to the new campaign despite a rocky pre-season.

Head coach Lauren Palmer arrived less than two months before the first match after the departure of Liana Leota, but the upheaval appears to have had little impact on performances.

Rhinos reached the final of the Netball Super Cup before winning their opening league match against Birmingham Panthers.

They then lost by a single goal to London Mavericks in their second match, and Mvula sits second in the goalscoring standings after two rounds.

“It was hard changing coach, but we adapted well,” added Mvula. “Lauren is very good, she cares for us, and I love her energy.

“We only had four players from last season but because we had five months pre-season, it helped us a lot. We are strong together and the trust between us is strong.”

To keep up with the latest news, make sure to follow the @NetballSL on X, Instagram and TikTok, Netball Super League on Facebook and LinkedIn, and subscribe to our newsletter.

Find out more information about netball and female health through England Netball's women's health programme, NETBALLHer.