adminTadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
HARARE City chairman Alois Masepe has showered Waddilove High School with praises after the Marondera-based institution’s victory in the Mashonaland East Copa Coca-Cola provincial soccer finals at St Francis of Assisi in Chivhu last Friday.
The Premiership team recently partnered with the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe-run school in a marriage where the club takes some of their junior players to learn at the institution.
The municipal team’s technical team often render a helping hand to the school’s football teams as part of the agreement.
And buoyed by eight players from the Harare City juniors, including the slippery Michael Mhlanga and Tadiwa Mukosera, Waddilove displayed some good football at the Chivhu-based school to conquer all before them and earn their maiden ticket to the national Copa Coca-Cola contest scheduled for Zvishavane next week.
For good measure, it was their first time that the often average Waddilove team qualified for the provincial finals.
They will now be joined from the province by Rusununguko, who fell short last Friday but will be competing in the mining town by virtue of being the cup holders.
Waddilove’s stunning form, which has largely been attributed to their union with the ambitious top-flight club Harare City, has earned them plaudits from across the football stakeholders including the Harare City chairperson Masepe.
“The idea to partner with Waddilove was arrived at after some meticulous considerations,” said Masepe.
“What we want to achieve at the end of the day is a wholesome person who can earn a living from soccer in those few years and also earn a living as a professional since they would also have been educated.
“We release our junior players to go and learn at the institution for the good of their future. Our technical team often visits the school to conduct training sessions.
“It’s a feel-good factor for us to start seeing the results almost instantly. The partnership only started this year, thanks to the ambitious marketing team in our side led by Osborne Maranda, but the results are already there.
“I heard the school have always been trying but failed to reach the Copa Coca-Cola provincial finals in their previous attempts but this year they did not just manage to find their way to the tournament but also conquered the whole province.
“That’s awesome, we as Harare City just hope the exposure will help the players in the long run,” Masepe said.
Waddilove Principal, Edmore Vhazhure, said his school will be the team to watch in Zvishavane despite being debutants.
“With all the support we are receiving from Harare City, I hope and trust that we are in the right direction” said Vhazhure.
“We have never been to the provincial finals and for us to have eased our way to victory in such a high-tempo competition shows that the expertise we are receiving from Harare City is second to none.
“The players we have are very confident and they are fearless, thanks to the coaching methods offered by the Premiership club as well as our mentor Ben Zhamwarira Gomo.
“The team is already working readying for the national finals in Zvishavane. We are confident we will go all the way.”
Online Reporter