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Veronica Gwaze
Sports Reporter
WHENEVER Castle Lager Premiership striker Jerry Chipangura steps onto the pitch, he feels he is in a dream he never wants to wake up from.
His tale is that of a lad who has been to prison and back to the changing room.
This, after having almost written off his football career.
Chipangura was sentenced to 14 months in prison some two years ago after being found in possession of crystal meth, a highly addictive drug.
He still recalls how he felt his dream to ever feature in the elite league collapse on the day his sentence was pronounced.
“It felt like the world was collapsing, together with my dream of ever playing professional football,” recalled Chipangura.
“My life has revolved around football since I was a young boy and it felt like all that was going up in flames over a bad decision I had made.”
The 25-year-old star reckons that his stay in jail was the most difficult time of his life.
He had resigned to the fact that he had nothing to look forward to and that nothing good would ever come his way.
“While in prison, my mates kept telling me that prison was not the end of life, but deep down I had given up,” he said. “For entertainment, I would train daily and also took part in some social football games that were played in prison.
“Although I knew that I would leave prison someday, I was not sure if I would be a professional football player again or if anyone would be interested in working with an ex-convict.
“It was a tough time emotionally because imagine being a known footballer one minute and an inmate the next.”
Much to Chipangura’s surprise, he was released on parole based on good behaviour, with the only condition being that he would have to report to Mabvuku Police Station in Harare every Friday.
Despite being unsure of what the future held for him, the first thing that came to his mind upon release was football.
After release, he said, life was tough and he found it difficult to get back on his feet, which left him with no choice but to reignite his passion for football.
Resultantly, he traced his footsteps back to Harare City, where he still had a running contract.
Within a short time, he moved to Yadah on loan, where he played barely half a season and finished as the team’s top goalscorer with seven goals.
At the end of the 2023 season, he joined GreenFuel in Chipinge, where he signed a one-year contract, but resigned even before he kicked the ball due to his parole conditions that required him to report to the police station in Harare every week.
He then joined Yadah, and has so far appeared in all Miracle Boys’ games, but converting only once.
“Sometimes I feel that maybe God knew that I had jumped some stages, and wanted to take me back because I rose from division two straight to the elite league,” he said. “I had never played division one football before until after prison.
“I am reformed now and have devised clean ways of providing for my family.”
Chipangura said never in his wildest imagination did he ever thought of playing alongside stars Khama Billiat and Evans Rusike.
The duo, who joined the team at the start of the season, have made an impact for the Miracle Boys, who are in position 15 on the log standings with 10 points, nine behind log leaders Highlanders.
Yesterday, they played Herentals at Rufaro Stadium.
“The presence of Khama and Rusike has won us fans and, of late; our games have become a full house, so we need to be the best team at the end of the day,” he said.
“It is the opportunity for us to shine and also learn from these experienced guys.
“They have shown us what they still have to offer, and it is up to us to capitalise on their presence.”
Online Reporter