Online Reporter
Veronica Gwaze
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE future for Zimbabwe Volleyball looks promising, following impressive performances by junior teams at the just ended friendly games against Zambia.
Hosted in Harare over two days, the matches primarily showcased senior men and women sides from both nations.
Zimbabwe, however, also included their junior teams as invitational participants.
In their two games, the senior men side suffered 3-0 and 3-1 defeats against their Zambian counterparts.
The senior women also had a challenging outing, losing 3-0 to the visitors’ female side in their opening match.
However, in a bold move, senior women coach Nyashadzashe Takawira opted to rest all the experienced players for the second match, allowing rookies to make their international debut.
The rookies did not disappoint either, seizing this opportunity to show their potential and securing a thrilling 3-2 victory over Zambia senior women.
Takawira said the strategic inclusion of juniors not only provided valuable experience for the young players but also highlighted the depth of local talent.
“I noted when we were in training that our younger players ooze a lot of potential so I felt that this was the best opportunity to test them,” he said.
“The seniors lost to the same opponent on the first day, we told the youngsters not to think of the unpleasant result but just focus on enjoying their game.”
The juniors, with a mixture of nerves and excitement, stepped onto the court with determination to showcase their talent.
In that moment, the atmosphere became charged as the young girls exchanged glances of encouragement and oozed confidence.
They left many spectators surprised by the manner in which they quickly found their rhythm, communicated well and played with impressive teamwork.
Their ability to adapt swiftly left Takawira impressed.
“They showed skill and deep understanding of the game…Zambia are a regional giant and to have our rookies integrate seamlessly in such an environment means a lot.
“It shows that our development pathway is bright and I look forward to seeing how they continue to evolve going forward.”
Conversely, the junior men’s side, although showing a lot of potential, failed to get past the established Zambian powerhouse, losing all their matches.
Despite the setbacks, head coach Kudzai Bakaidza expressed optimism about the future, highlighting the potential he observed in his players.
He believes that maintaining the current junior teams’ structure is essential for fostering growth and development of the game locally.
For nearly 20-years, the Zimbabwe Volleyball Association have not participated in international friendlies.
This was largely a culmination of abandoning the national team structures, forcing locals to only focus on club championships.
“The experiences gained especially by juniors in these friendly games serve as a foundation for the future.
“I am impressed with the potential I saw, and I believe that with time and support, this team could grow stronger.
“They showed a lot of character despite being thrown into the deep end, that determination I am confident will take us into the future.”
Bakaidza emphasised the importance of organising regular training camps and increasing the number of friendly matches for the teams.
“Camps will allow us to become a unit because this is important if we are to develop into a force to reckon with and this can only happen if we spend more time together as a team.”
These camps will also facilitate the development and implementation of a volleyball strategic framework.
