Chronicle Editor
Ronald Mashinga, Sports Reporter
CHRISTIAN Brothers College (CBC) learner Shaun Matika has been awarded a four-year football scholarship by Bethel University in the United States of America.
Bethel University is a top-ranked evangelical Christian university in Indianapolis and Matika will develop his football talent and read for a computer science degree.
Matika, who is waiting for his A-Level results, is well known for his ball skills, field vision and accuracy as a striker in junior football and broke into the CBC Eagles team at the age of 15.
In 2019 he captained the team to the Conference of Heads of Independent Schools in Zimbabwe (CHISZ) tournament where they lost 0-1 in the final to St John’s.
He was also selected for the Zimbabwe Under-17 national team that took part in the 2017 Cosafa tournament in Mauritius where they finished fourth in Group A.
Matika hailed CBC staff and the school’s football head coach Noel Kaseke, who assisted and facilitated his application for a scholarship.
“I would love to thank coach Kaseke for helping me get the scholarship. Even when the wait felt long, he kept on believing that we would get it and that made me strong too, and I am so fortunate to have had him in my life,” Matika said.
“I also want to thank the soccer department, especially former manager Dr Sibindi who took me into the first team at 15, coach Clemence who allowed me to train with his club over the holidays, Mr Dhlodhlo and Mr Mpala for trusting me to be their captain for the year 2019.”
CBC teacher and sports administrator Emmanuel Dhlodhlo said the football department’s main objective is to identify talent and produce professional footballers.
“Our guiding philosophy is to develop players who will fit in the professional leagues internationally such as the English Premier League,” said Dhlodhlo.
Online Reporter