Biya tournament date set

Sports Reporter
FORMER Highlanders FC captain Thulani “Biya” Ncube will use his annual Under-14 football tournament to identify academically gifted youngsters and facilitate scholarships for them to study in the US.

Four teams, Matabele Warriors of Magwegwe North, Gwabalanda Pirates, Luveve Academy and LMHA Mguza of Cowdray Park, will compete in the third edition of the Thulani “Biya” Ncube and Friends Under-14 competition set for July 11.

The four teams are all affiliates of the Zifa Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Junior League.

Ncube, who is expected to land in the country next Saturday from the United States, runs the project aimed at identifying and developing talent with his friends Tawanda Chipata also based in the United States, Mlamuli Ncube based in South Africa and the United Kingdom based Dan Dube.

Stanley Mpofu, the tournament organiser, said everything was set for the competition.

“We’ve done the groundwork and everything is set. This time around we decided to use teams affiliated to the Junior League to do away with age cheats. What makes the fourth edition even more interesting is that lucky youngsters with good academic grades stand a chance to be selected for US scholarship. Biya and friends believe that’s the best way to give back to the community as the programme affords the kids an opportunity to study abroad while at the same time pursuing their football dreams,” said Mpofu.

Ncube coaches some US schools.

Former juniors’ coach Ali “Baba” Dube, Biya’s former teammates at Highlanders, Thabani Masawi, Bekithemba Ndlovu, Gift Lunga Jnr and Dazzy Kapenya, will scout for exceptionally talented players at the tournament.

Mpofu said all the participating teams will get playing kits, with individual players winning prize money.

“All teams will get playing uniforms and medals. Biya has also hinted that he’ll give money as prizes to lucky youngsters from Nyanda, Luveve and Masotsha High Schools. All this is being done to motivate youngsters from where he grew up,” Mpofu said.

Magwegwe North won the first edition while Cowdray Park are the defending champions.