admin
ALL the buzz of last week brought to the City of Kings by the Zimbabwe National Youth Games is gone and it’s now time to take stock.
By all standards the games were a success and new champions were born. The standards exhibited were high and this without doubt casts a very positive picture for Zimbabwean sport.
All the country’s 10 provinces were represented by talent which is Under-20. It means for athletics, basketball, boxing, handball, soccer, tennis and volleyball there is a crop of athletes that has been identified nationwide that needs nurturing into professional sport. These should form the backbone of the various national teams.
The fact that the Sport and Recreation Commission was able at national level to harness this talent and come up with an event of this magnitude is an indictment of the unity of Zimbabweans. Sport brought people from various backgrounds and ethnic groups to cement the unifying effect of sport.
Sport has grown to be an industry to pride the nation with healthy and fit citizens. It contributes significantly to the Gross Domestic Product and hence needs support and encouragement at grassroots level as the Youth Games seek to achieve.
The SRC has done well to co-ordinate the activities. There is however, a gap in these endeavours as there are few people coming from organised clubs and associations seen out there scouting for fresh talent. It is often the organisers and participants seen at the venues enjoying every bit of the action.
It is high time national associations took the games seriously. These should be used by all to select national teams to take part in regional and other international tournaments. It would be a waste of time if these were not used for such as talent exposed at a national level would go down to waste.
The truth is outside school calendar events there is no other event that attracts so much talent at one competition.
Bulawayo was abuzz with activity up to Sunday with close to 4 000 people having come from other provinces for the event. This as part of sports tourism boosted the city’s businesses as these athletes and officials had to be accommodated, fed and transported all contributing to Bulawayo companies.
Infrastructure in some instances which was almost derelict was given a facelift and will be used by Zimbabweans for a long time in good stead.
Emakhandeni, once the shining example of a community’s commitment to the well-being of youths and a dream for international stardom producing stars like Gloria Mpala, Fadzai Madzimbamuto, Matthew Gumbo and the late Dumiso Khumalo, has had its courts refurbished.
Club members had over the years failed to work on the surfaces because of sponsorship challenges but thanks to the games, they now look good.
Netball now has a home on an all weather court at White City Stadium. Previously clubs played on dusty patches with no terracing for fans.
Luveve High School will celebrate a good 1km of tarred road when schools open. The school had two handball pitches constructed as was the case for Northlea High School with handball and basketball renovations on their facilities.
Work was done at Milton and Girls College.
Boxing can at last celebrate returning to its former base — Stanley Square. The ring has been refurbished and looks perfect for the sport’s revival.
These are some of the legacy benefits of the game where hundreds were trained to administer such competitions.
With Bulawayo playing host to the Zone Six Games next year, the human resource factor has benefited from the hosting of the Youth Games. It was a dress rehearsal of what to expect next year.
Like with any other games of this magnitude there would always be problems of funding. This year’s competition was no exception but barring the budgetary constraints Raj Modi and Sam Dzvimbu’s team was able to put up a good show. They have set the standards for others to follow but if a majority of these athletes do not make it to professional sport, the cause would have been lost.
Government can help provinces stage good games by coming up with tax incentives in a new sports policy to be embraced by all which could even make it compulsory for national team selections for age-groups to be at such forums.
Next year’s hosts Masvingo must have learnt a thing or two from Bulawayo.
Online Reporter