adminLovemore Zigara Midlands Sports Correspondent
FORMER Hockey Association of Zimbabwe president, Custom Kachambwa wants to revamp the sport in Gweru and is already putting together a men and ladies’ hockey club. Hockey in the Midlands has been in the doldrums for the past decade and unlike Harare and Bulawayo, the province has no league. This has seen the province not represented in the national league.
Kachambwa said coming up with a hockey club would put Gweru and the province back on the map but he indicated that he would only do so if
there are partners who would be willing to shoulder the costs.
“I would like to start hockey teams in Gweru for the Midlands but I am not going the same way as the Eradicators (team he sponsors in the
national league) where I have to shoulder the expenses. We need players that can support themselves or we get sponsorship from the
corporate world if the project is to be a success.
“I was hoping we could build a good ladies side here particularly in view of the fact that ladies’ teams in the country are very few and it will be good for Gweru to have one and compete with the few teams in Bulawayo and Harare,’’ he said.
Kachambwa bemoaned the underutilisation of hockey facilities in the country which he says has resulted in the country failing to come up with good players.
“I have been to Gweru Sports Club and there is no active hockey taking place there but the facilities are there but neglected. There is a good hockey pitch which is overgrown with grass.
“The situation at the (Gweru) Sports Club is obtaining in many parts of the country where facilities are in a dilapidated state which has seen us failing to develop good hockey players. This is really a national embarrassment,’’ said the former hockey president who is now a Zimbabwe Olympic Committee board member.
Online Reporter