Businesses challenged to support sports growth in Matabeleland North

Nkosilathi Sibanda, Online Writer

SPORT administrators in Lupane, Matabeleland North have implored the business community to assist in the establishment of grassroots programmes to improve various sports codes in the area.

For a number of years, the Matabeleland North capital lagged behind in sports development, a situation that has spelled doom to many talented young people.

There are no sound sporting facilities and even local schools cannot offer some sports and have no capacity to provide a choice of sports activities.

This has got sport leaders concerned, saying the businesses and community leaders have to be lobbied to help bring the much-needed development.

One of the most respected football administrators in Lupane, Permanent Sibanda said it was high time people in the area joined hands and found ways to develop sport.

“In the spirit of sport, let us all work together as stakeholders to find a solution that will work for the betterment of sport.

“It is noble that we start now, of which we would want to also thank the media for having been at the fore of telling the story on Lupane football and other disciplines,” said Sibanda.

Sibanda is one of the residents of Lupane who have been instrumental in building sound sporting structures in Matabeleland North.

Another sport leader in Lupane, Thandolwenkosi Nyoni was of the view that existing sport clubs needed to adopt school teams, as this would be of great help in nurturing young athletes.

“It is my thought that clubs are the first point of departure in our plans to improve sporting activities in Lupane. It is known that we are behind and have to fix that. The sports clubs and teams that we have for now must be encouraged to work with school teams. By so doing it will be easier to identify talent and also help in development. We lose a lot of talent to other areas because we have been lax on this.

“The community also has to get support from Government structures such as the Sport and Recreation Commission. The corporate world has to chip in with financial and material resources. In the long run, we have to strengthen the establishment of soccer academies,” said Nyoni.

He said there were plans to look for resources and partnerships with sports associations to have local teachers and members of the public capacitated through coaching clinics.