Online Reporter
Ellina Mhlanga
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE Under-20 team coach Tafadzwa Madure says there is still more work to be done ahead of the International Handball Federation (IHF) Trophy Zone VI Youth and Junior men’s tournament.
The regional competition is running from April 28 to May 3 in Lusaka, Zambia.
Zimbabwe will field both the Under-18 and Under-20 teams. And they just concluded a two-day training camp in Harare that was also attended by the national federation’s technical director.
“The camp wasn’t as we expected technically. We wanted more time as the games are getting close but at least we managed to pick up one or two things,” said Madure.
“In terms of fitness we had given them a training programme since we have limited time to train as a team for the assignment, we saw that a lot of players lapsed in terms of the training programme . . . We need to put more work on the ground.
“From the previous tournaments I learnt that preparedness is key and vital for this tournament.
“At the end we need more time for team coordination, technical bonding, combination performance.”
Madure was in charge of the Under-20 side for the previous edition in 2024, and they emerged winners in their age-group earning the ticket to the Continental Phase.
His counterpart, Farai Mukundu, who is in charge of the Under-18s said its looking promising with his side although they need to step up on the technical side. “It went well and we managed to do everything that we had planned and the players were really up for it all. “The boys were in good shape, thanks to the athletics season. Technically there is still a lot of work that needs to be done. But it’s promising.
“There is still some work to be done but we are hoping that individually they will be working such that when we meet up, we are more concerned about team cohesion,” said Mukundu. The Under-18 side lost in the final at the previous tournament, and would want to go for the title this time around. Both squads are expected to regroup next month for a longer camp that will run until their departure for Zambia.
“After this camp we are going to have a 16-day-long camp that is meant to prepare those selected to go to Zambia.
“So, the camp is going to take place tentatively from the 12th of April until we travel to Zambia on the 28th of April, so that is our plan as we go forward. “We are going to have 24 players (for each age-group) that are going to get into this final camp, and then from that final camp we are going to reduce the number to 16.
“The major reason we are having more players to the final camp is to make sure that we are not found wanting when it comes to the issue of injuries.
“Some players might get injured and then if we have the actual number, we will have a problem in calling other players that would have already been dropped out of the squad,” said ZHF technical director Bekezela Ncube.
