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Emganwini Primary will represent Mbizo District, Robert Tredgold will represent Bulawayo Central, Emakhandeni will battle on behalf of Reigate District while Fusi Primary will be Khami District’s hope and the hosts Induba will carry the Mzilikazi District’s fight.
National Association of Primary Heads (Naph) Bulawayo Province soccer head in charge Agripa Dube yesterday said all was set for the Bulawayo Province’s competitions.
“All is set for our provincial Ingwebu competitions and the five districts will first square off at Induba in the round robin format where the last team will be eliminated while the remaining four will pair off with the top team taking the third placed team and the second placed team taking on the fourth placed in the semi-finals.”
“After the semi-finals all the four teams will then go to White City where the losing teams will clash for the third and fourth places while the winning teams will play in the final,” Dube said.
Dube then expressed gratitude to Ingwebu who will cover virtually all the costs from meals to prize money and who have also availed tracksuits and T-shirts that are already in place.
Ingwebu Breweries marketing manager Themba Sibanda said their drive was to give back to their clients by empowering the young members of society.
“Look, a lot of companies concentrate on secondary schools and social teams but we thought we should build a base in which the future of soccer will lie in our region hence we chose the primary schools. Again our brew is meant for the older members of our society so it is fitting to do something for the young generation.”
“Last year’s sponsorship package was around $10 000 but this year we have tripled it so that our tournament’s impact is heavier and more kids are encouraged to put maximum effort,” Sibanda said.
This tournament is strictly for the Matabeleland Province where the Ingwebu opaque brew is appreciated and exclusively consumed and competitors at this stage will not go empty-handed.
The provincial champions will walk away $1 000 richer, the runners-up will walk away with $800, the third placed team will get $600, $400 will be up for grabs for the fourth placed team while the fifth placed team will get $350.
In the national competitions that will be contested by four teams including the host team will get $2 000 for the first slot, $1 500 will be given to the runners-up, $1 000 to the third placed team while $800 will be given to the fourth placed team.
The sponsors have set aside $15 950 prize money. Ingwebu have a total sponsorship package of $30 000.
Matabeleland South will have their inter-district competitions on 19 July in Plumtree while Matabeleland North will have theirs on 20 July at Inyathi with the finals slatted for 3 August at Pelandaba Stadium in Gwanda.
Meanwhile, a 26-man squad was selected last Friday after an Under-14 boys inter-district competition that was held at Barbourfields Stadium as the province looks at preparing for the national finals in Mutare from 23-26 July.
The squad will however be trimmed to 18 who will be going to the Naph sponsored finals.
Online Reporter