admin“We feel privileged and happy about the LM Auctioneers’ sponsorship as this is a recognition of the Girl Child in sport and we hope other corporate members are going to emulate their good example.
“Such acts make us feel appreciated and it encourages the Girl Child to strive to do well and we hope this partnership will continue for many years to come,” she said.
This year’s theme is “Making the Girl Child Smile through Soccer” while last year’s theme was Putting Women First.
“Rebranding Women’s Soccer and Protecting the Girl Child” was the inaugural year’s theme in 2010.
Lewis Muzhara, the director of LM Auctioneers, said as a former soccer player at junior level, he felt a lot of people focused more on the boys hence it was fitting that his company shifts focus to the Girl Child.
“I always loved soccer and a lot of corporates focus on boys and I thought I should deviate from that when I had the idea to sponsor a soccer tournament hence we launched the women’s tournament in 2010.
“It is our aim to rebrand women’s soccer in Zimbabwe and see the sport flourishing. This is why we invite some international teams,” Muzhara said.
Defending champions New Orleans, Inline Academy, Black Rhinos, Mufakose Queens, Cyclone Stars and the host team Chipembere Queens will battle with Botswana’s Double Action and Meat Girls.
The teams will be grouped into two pools with the Botswana teams being the seeded sides in preliminaries that will be played in a round robin format with the top two teams automatically going into the semi-finals.
Matches start tomorrow at Mkoba Stadium and the semi-finals and the finals will be played the following day.
Meat Girls and Double Action were expected in the country yesterday while all the other teams will arrive in Gweru today for the draw and press conference later in the evening.
This year’s champions will walk away with $1 500, 25 gold medals and 25 T-shirts, the runners-up will get $1 000, 25 silver medals and 25 T-shirts while the third placed team will get $600, 25 bronze medals and 25 T-shirts.
The fourth placed team will get $300 and 25 T-shirts while all participants will receive certificates.
All teams will receive $180 from the sponsors as part of fuel expenses.
Online Reporter