Chronicle Editor
Nkosilathi Sibanda, Online Reporter
DETE based grassroots sport development institution Ponel Youth Soccer Academy has committed to play a role in the development of football in the country, as it seeks to unleash talent from rural areas.
The Dete based academy revealed it had the intention to become a conduit that will supply footballers to top flight clubs in the future.
Already, Ponel Youth Soccer Academy has planned for projects that will give way for the establishment of a competitive football league for players under age of 13 and the Unde-19.
Previously, the academy concentrated on the Under-15s.
The new Under-13 league will draw teams from rural Hwange and Dete, according to Ponel Youth Soccer Academy co-director Nelson Ndeka.
“We have initiated an Under-13 boys’ football league the same way we did with the Under-15s in Dete, Hwange rural last year,” said Ndeka.
“The intention is huge as we want to play a role in football development in Zimbabwe. The future of football in country lies in training our youngsters who will play for national teams. In the few years we have been in the business of training young talent, we have realised there are a lot of boys who have what it takes to become stars. The only missing link is exposure and we are working hard to make sure that their games are visible.”
Ndeka said they launched the Under-13 league last Saturday and only four teams played but more are set to fulfill fixtures in the weeks ahead.
“A fixture is out and we hope that will pave way for our plans. As we move, more teams will come to play.”
So far, Ndeka said teams that have organised themselves for the league are Ponel Youth Soccer Academy, Iwisa Sparrows FC, Aardvark FC and Honey Burgers FC.
“It’s going to be a small league which we plan to punctuate with plenty of sponsored matches and invitational tournaments. The league has teams that are based in the same area where travel is not required at all to fulfill matches. Nonetheless, should clubs in the nearby areas want to join, they are free to. We have been limited to Dete because of travel constraints from other clubs, but that has not put us down.”
Although they run an ambitious programme, Ponel Youth Soccer Academy were short of sponsorship.
“We want the league to succeed and it is our wish to get sponsors for all the age groups,” Ndeka revealed. Young players that promise to dazzle the big stage in the future include 13-year-old Leeroy Williams Mabaso, Frank Thamusanqa Wabayi (16) an attacking midfielder, Witness Brian Ngwenya (14) and a goal keeper Witness Munkuli who is under the tutelage of another former Hwange FC goal minder, Isaac Saki Tshuma. Saki is a qualified goalkeepers’ trainer,” said Ndeka.
Online Reporter