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The province seeks to stop Harare’s dominance of the Games.
Harare has won all the editions of the Games since their inception in Bulawayo in 2003.
The 10th edition of the Games will be held in Bindura, Mashonaland Central, from 4 to11 August.
General manager (publicity and marketing), Dave Simba confirmed the appointment of Sawu and other coaches and said their hopes were for a better finish compared to the previous years.
“I can confirm that Sawu is our boys’ Under-20 coach and will be part of our technical delegation to Bindura in August. We hope his vast knowledge of the game will help spur the boys on,” said Simba.
Long-serving handball coach Sibulisiwe Mpofu, whose team has always done well in the Games, was again retained as the girls’ team coach while the boys will be under Cephas Mushati.
Medal hopefuls tennis will be under Adam Joelson with Judith Lunga and Menfree Tanyanyiwa taking care of business in girls’ soccer and netball respectively.
Bulawayo finished third in the ninth edition of the Games held in Gwanda, Matabeleland South, getting 10 gold, 13 silver and five bronze medals.
“Teams are already busy with their training programmes as we want to leave no stone unturned. We shall get into camp at the end of the month until departure day for Bindura on 4 August.
We have set a budget of $60 000 and our appeal to the business community is to come on board and help us realise the dream,” said Simba.
This year’s athletes and officials will all be under medical aid for the duration of the Games courtesy of Green Card Medical Aid Society who pledged medical cover for all the athletes and officials who will attend the 10th edition of the Zimbabwe National Youth Games.
The company also pledged three ambulances that will be solely for use by the athletes and officials.
The society is owned by flamboyant Harare businessman Munyaradzi Kereke.
Besides the medical cover, the company also gave the Local Organising Committee led by chief executive officer Stan Kasukuwere $5 000 in cash towards the successful hosting of the Games.
“Our initiative is geared towards health for all and sports promotes good health. We endeavour to encourage our youths to take sports seriously and one way of doing that is ensuring that there is adequate funding to these important national Games,” said chief executive officer Simon Tapfumaneyi.
Meanwhile, the draw for the 2012 edition of the Games was released last week with the 10 provinces being grouped into two pools, one led by the host province and the other by the defending champions of that sporting code.
10th Edition of the Youth Games draw
Girls Football
Pool A: Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands
Pool B: Harare, Manicaland, Mashonaland East, Bulawayo, Masvingo
Boys Football
Pool A: Mashonaland Central, Matabeleland North, Bulawayo, Masvingo, Mashonaland East
Pool B: Midlands, Manicaland, Matabeleland South, Harare, Mashonaland West
Girls Basketball
Pool A: Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Bulawayo, Manicaland, Midlands
Pool B: Harare, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Mashonaland West, Masvingo
Boys’ Basketball
Pool A: Mashonaland Central, Matabeleland North, Mashonaland West, Matabeleland South, Mashonaland East
Pool B: Harare, Bulawayo, Manicaland, Midlands, Masvingo
Girls Handball
Pool A:Mashonaland Central, Midlands, Mashonaland West, Manicaland, Bulawayo,
Pool B: Mashonaland East, Harare, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South
Boys Handball:
Pool A: Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Bulawayo, Mashonaland West, Masvingo
Pool B: Manicaland, Harare, Matabeleland South, Matabeleland North, Midlands
Girls Volleyball
Pool A: Mashonaland Central, Manicaland, Midlands, Bulawayo, Mashonaland East
Pool B: Masvingo, Matabeleland South, Mashonaland West, Harare, Matabeleland North
Boys Volleyball
Pool A:Mashonaland Central, Matabeleland South, Midlands, Masvingo, Bulawayo
Pool B: Harare, Matabeleland North, Manicaland, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West
Netball
Pool A: Mashonaland Central, Midlands, Mashonaland West, Bulawayo, Mashonaland East
Pool B: Masvingo,Matabeleland North,Manicaland, Matabeleland South,Harare
Bulawayo Youth Games coaches
Basketball: Crayton Moyo (boys), Pretty Tinarwo (girls); Handball: Cephas Mushati (boys), Sibulisiwe Mpofu (girls); Volleyball: Qinisa Fuyana (boys), Conrad Kupara (girls); Athletics: Caron Chashamba (girls),Vusumuzi Mlilo (boys); Girls Soccer: Judith Lunga, Boys Soccer: Agent Sawu; Netball: Menfree Tanyanyiwa; Tennis: Adam Joelson; Boxing: Foloma Moyo
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