adminXolisani Gwesela
EACH time I visit my rural home, Zhombe in the Midlands Province, I remember the time I and my peers were growing up and playing footballs made of plastic paper on the dusty fields. Every day, after school and during weekends we would invade these dusty fields and display what we knew best. The various episodes of “Sikhwehle” football as we called it in our area elated us.
This type of football made us forget all our problems and the majority of boys of my age had one dream — which was one day to play for our country. Unfortunately for some of us our dreams never saw the light of the day.
Years later, I went to high school at Rio Tinto Zhombe High School for my secondary education, and during assembly and after the school sports report, our headmaster a E D Sibanda would stress the importance of football and he did this using a Latin saying “Mens sana in corpora sano.”
The phrase is derived from a Roman poet, Juvenal and it means a sound mind in a healthy body. My high school headmaster was more interested in seeing us play football to keep our bodies in top and healthy condition and this in turn would support our sound minds.
My childhood experiences of “Sikhwehle football” were unorganised grassroots football. The “Mens sana in corpora sano” concept is one of the advantages of organised grassroots football and to date many children are still involved in this game in Zimbabwe and across the continent.
It is my view and optimism that the vibrant football mother body, Zifa will give children a chance to play in organised grassroots football and it is because of this view that I hope and trust that the association’s new technical director will create such an enabling environment that will see the growth and development of this important component of football.
I feel it is prudent to begin by explaining what grassroots football entails.
According to the world football governing body Fifa, grassroots football programmes target boys and girls aged 6-12 years through schools, community and club initiatives.
The essential elements of grassroots football are relationships, team spirit and fun. The concept of learning through playing while being guided by a coach educator is a specific approach designed to reach out to the young and create a process to connect to the future.
Coach educators must be dynamic, uncomplicated, passionate and motivational and must always respect the children’s physical, physiological and psychological characteristics.
Sociologist Emile Durkheim expounds on what he terms social integration and it is important to note that the beautiful game has this function since grassroots football is the chief recreational activity for a large number of children around the globe.
The new Zifa technical director who assumes office this month should tap on these merits of grassroots football.
On October 6, 2013, Zifa conducted a successful grassroots festival at the historic Zimbabwe Grounds in Highfield, Harare. This prestigious event attracted over 600 children drawn from Harare primary schools and soccer academies which include Southerton, Rusvingo, Ruvheneko, Mhizha, Chipembere, Shiriyedenga and Mbizi.
I was touched by the enthusiasm shown by the children.
Such events are imperative for the new technical director and will go a long way in tapping talent and strengthening our national teams. The new technical director should also ensure that such momentous events spread to all provinces in the country including rural areas.
The post of technical director is deeply veiled in four significant domains of football and these are coaching, refereeing, sports medicine and administration. It is therefore imperative for the new technical director to fully utilise such domains to further the development of grassroots football.
The greatest philosopher of the French Revolution, Jean-Jacques Rousseau summed up the importance of tapping young talent: “Nature decrees that children should be children before they become adults. If we try to alter this natural order, they will reach adulthood prematurely but with neither substance nor strength.”
Hence, the need to develop children from a young age.
Children are our future Warriors and with the artificial turf at the world-class Zifa Village almost complete, the technical director and his team of development coaches will be offered a big opportunity to use the ground for regular grassroots programmes to tap some of the best talent that would have been identified in the provinces.
Fifa are doing their part in releasing funds through the Financial Assistance Programme (FAP), but the children need more support across the country for the grassroots programme to help identify and nurture a new generation of players who will become next big assets the same way that George Shaya, Peter Ndlovu, Moses Chunga, Shacky Tauro, Joel Shambo, John Phiri, and Stanford M’tizwa rocked for our football.
The Just Play Soccer Grassroots programme organised by former Zifa vice-president, Ndumiso Gumede and funded by Willards Chips showed us how immense football talent Zimbabwe is endowed with.
Now with the Zfa Village turning into the centre of excellence that can match any on the continent, the children of this country may fulfill the dream that some in our generation could not achieve and fly the country’s flag high.
The grassroots programmes will also help create a database for the players who would have shown so much potential to grow into the big stars of tomorrow.
Consequently, the promotion of grassroots football is a sine qua non (absolutely needed) for turning around the fortunes of our beautiful game.
*Xolisani Gwesela is the communications manager of the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa). He can be contacted on +263 772 433 939 . His e-mail address is [email protected].
Online Reporter