adminTadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
FORMER Black Rhinos centre-back, Sam Nzanga, has poured thousands of dollars into the inaugural annual Mbare Primary Schools Junior Football tournament set to begin in April.
Nzanga, who is based in the UK, believes there are many stages of development which junior footballers miss as a result of lack of proper sponsorship.
The competition will see primary schools under the Mbare-Hatfield District battling it out for honours in a home and away format league.
Nzanga has since donated the kits for the tournament which is designed for Under-14 boys and girls.
“We are launching the inaugural edition of what will be an annual football tournament for primary schools in the Mbare/Hatfield District,’’ said Nzanga.
“It is my own way of saying thank you to the community which raised me.
“We are looking at the tournament starting in the second term of schools but we need everything in place so we don’t miss on some important things.
“Consultations are already in progress, involving the heads from the participating clusters.
“The idea is to give the small boys an opportunity to develop their skills in a competitive environment.
“We have a lot of talented players who can go places with proper nurturing. This is just our own way of saying thank you to the community and exposing the boys to competition.”
He said there were considerations to incorporate girls’ football in the tournament.
Participating schools include Chirodzo, Shingirayi, Nharira, Ardbennie, Chiedza, Gwinyai, St Michael’s, Chitsere, Houghton Park as well as St Peter’s.
The 10 schools will be put into two groups of five with the top two teams progressing to the semi-finals.
A local organising committee, headed by former five-a-side football leaders Frank Farakezi and Nyasha Mazaiwana, has already been put in place.
They held their first meeting at Shingirayi Primary School on Friday where the composition and structure of the LOC was done through nominations and direct appointments.
The school heads of Shingirayi Primary School and Chitsere Primary School were also part of the LOC which attended Friday’s meeting.
“Any school caught cheating would be kicked out of the tournament, all benefits would be forfeited and will not take part again in future tournaments,’’ said Farakezi.
“The LOC will come up with a special committee that will monitor all cases of malpractice.
“We agreed to start the games during the second week of Term Two and play games every Wednesday up to the 8th week.
“We will come up with the dates for the finals after taking into consideration end-of-term examination schedules.”
The initiative resonates well with the Government’s grassroots programme.
Online Reporter