All set for Zone 6 club championships

Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
PREPARATIONS for the Confederation of Volleyball Zone VI Club Volleyball Championships are at an advanced stage with the court surface set to be laid tomorrow at ZITF Hall 3.

Participating teams are set to start arriving in the country on Thursday with a technical meeting scheduled for Friday and games will kick off in earnest on Saturday. Thirty-five teams from Zone VI are scheduled to take part in the tournament that is expected to run from 7 to 17 December. Local organising committee chairman William Mazviro said they are on course with their preparations with the laying of the court surface starting tomorrow.

He said the surface was already in the city and expects it to be in place by the time teams arrive.

“We are going to have two playing courts in Hall 3 while there will also be a training court, which, however will not have the special surface. The technical meeting on Friday will involve all teams and that is when the draw for the competition would be held,” said Mazviro.

He revealed they would not be hosting the club beach volleyball tournament concurrently due to logistical challenges adding the country has been given up to February next year to host that section. Beach volleyball had been earmarked for Khumalo Hockey Stadium. Zimbabwe will have the largest contingent with eight teams followed by Zambia which has registered seven. South Africa, Swaziland and Botswana registered four teams each while Lesotho and Mozambique would have three teams apiece and Malawi is sending only two sides

Eight teams that will represent Zimbabwe at the tourney are Bulawayo-based Spartans, Support Unit and UZ Wolves who are all sending male and female teams while Naba completes the male section and Harare City female side will also be part of the line-up.

Spartans, who are the only team from Bulawayo playing in the national league, would also be looking forward doing well in front of their home supporters.

The club’s coach, Vulindlela Moyo said they are putting their all at training and hope to give a formidable performance at their maiden performance of the competition.

“We are putting much effort at training to ensure we are ready for any team that is thrown at us.

“We want to be prepared for the strongest squad but as first timers we are obviously aware it won’t be easy,” he said.