adminLovemore Zigara Midlands Correspondent
SIXTEEN schools from the Midlands and Masvingo provinces are expected to converge at Guinea Fowl High School where they are set to battle it out in the George Mitchell Sports football and netball tournaments. The event which is in its third edition is being bankrolled by the sports merchandising company to the tune of $10,000.
Coordinator of the tournament who is also Guinea Fowl head, Manson Mudzingwa said the tournament will be played on a round robin basis in the preliminaries with the top two teams in the four groups qualifying for the quarter-finals.
“This year’s tournament is bigger and better as we have invited 16 teams to take part in the tournament. This is one way we’re using to nurture and identify talent and we therefore encourage football and netball coaches to come and scout for talent.
“The tournament will be held in one day and the top two teams from the four groups will qualify for the quarter-finals and eventually the final,” he said.
Some of the schools that are expected to be part of this year’s edition are defending champions Chibi High School, Fletcher, Chaplin, Matinunura, Manunure, Thornhill, Nashville and the hosts.
George Mitchell director, Pasca Muringani said plans are underway to include more disciplines next year.
“We’re sponsoring this tournament as a way of giving back to the community which supports us. We’re also playing our role in sports development.
“Next year we want the tournament to become a sports festival which will include more disciplines besides just football and netball. We’re also exploring ways of upgrading it to a national tournament,” he said.
Winners of the tournament in both disciplines are set to walk away with a cash prize of $100, a soccer or netball ball and medals while the losing finalists will take home $70 in cash, a football or netball as well.
The third placed team will also walk away with medals, a football or netball together with a $50 cash prize.
There will also be individual prizes for the player of the tournament, top goal scorer and best goalkeeper in football while netball will also have its own prizes.
Online Reporter