admin
. IT would appear when it comes to planning for sports tournaments, Zimbabwe could take the cup for just plain failing to plan and prepare in good time with the obvious results of an atrocious record in major tournaments.
We used to bemoan the chaos in football where our football teams were seldom given enough time to prepare for competitions. However, poor preparations now seem to characterise almost all major disciplines. Results have been quite negative in cricket and rugby, among other disciplines. Our cricket team has been battling against South Africa this week, with very little success so far, and there could be many factors around that.
We believe our sports associations need to put in a lot of work into preparing our national teams. Needless to say, it should start from the individual teams where the players are attached so that when they go into camp it becomes a matter of fine-tuning a few things in terms of tactics, not issues related to general fitness.
It is quite worrying that our rugby team is also faced with problems of lack of adequate preparation and they have left for Tunisia with very little expected from them. Expectations are that if their enthusiasm does not carry them, then experience should see them salvage something from the clash. These should never be substitutes for adequate preparation since failing to plan is definitely planning to fail.
We have seen it countless times when national teams go out and embarrass the nation due to a lack of preparation.
We have also heard the cry for more resources though it is not guaranteed that having more money would bring results. In some associations that used to be well resourced, what tended to happen was that the resources were sometimes abused by those in authority with the toiling players not even getting what was due to them.
With proper planning and a determination to succeed, our national teams can go far. What is needed is that commitment from the administrators that filters down to the players and then gets the nation to rally behind the team so that the results start coming.
This weekend sees our national cricket, rugby and soccer teams in action on the continent. We wish them well in their assignments but also urge the relevant sports associations to take care of the players’ interests so that they safeguard our national pride. Let us not just make up the numbers.
It is our hope that the poor rugby team preparations do not continue to be the norm but that we shall see a turnaround for the better so that our players take to the field of play with confidence, not to just march in already feeling defeated due to a lack of preparation.
Online Reporter