Vusumuzi Dube
Nkosilathi Sibanda
BINGA Football Academy hope to perform at their best of abilities when they take part in the Mai Hondo Junior Football tournament in Mutare at the weekend.
The tournament begins on Saturday and ends on Sunday.
Despite being a side that is not well resourced financially, the academy has pulled all its might to make sure they expose players to as many competitions so as to hone their talents.
This year’s Mai Hondo tournament is the seventh edition and 16 teams have been invited to compete for the coveted prize. Other teams invited to this juniors’ football clash include those drawn from Chipinge, Buhera, Mutasa, Harare, Masvingo and Rusape.
The objective of the tournament, according to the chief organiser Blessing Mutsaka, the objectives of the games are to develop junior football in the country and to foster good positive youth development.
“Our vision is to have a well-developed junior soccer system that produces well rounded players,” said Mutsaka.
Mutsaka revealed that the tournament will focus on positive youth development through working with youth focused organisations that provide services such as anti-drug and substance abuse campaigns, HIV and Aids awareness and education, sexual and reproductive health programmes.
Going to the Mai Hondo tournament, Binga Football Academy are heads high, as they were last year crowned champions of the Fortune Fokoza Ncube tournament held in Bulawayo.
Binga Football Academy coach, Pride Ngwenya said they prepared well and were optimistic of playing to win.
“We have prepared well. We are not going all the way to add numbers but to try our best to beat every opponent that comes our way.
“We are going there to expose our players and give them that much needed opportunity for them to be seen playing in a different environment” he said.
Online Reporter