Online Reporter
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
MANICALAND Rugby has entered into a new partnership with SavannaEd and Vumba Rugby Village Academy to establish the Manicaland Rugby Player Education Pathway, an initiative designed to support the development of rugby players, both on and off the field.
The 12-month pilot partnership will create a structured system through which participating players can be profiled, supported and connected to educational, personal-development, career and rugby opportunities.
At the centre of the initiative will be the development of a comprehensive player database designed to give Manicaland Rugby and its partners a clearer understanding of the young people within the provincial rugby system.
One of the architects of the initiative, Blessing Mwale, said the database will capture agreed information relating to players’ education, rugby participation and achievements, development needs, interests and aspirations.
“Appropriate consent and safeguards will be incorporated into the process, particularly where players are minors. The partners believe that better information about players will make it possible to provide more relevant support rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach to player development. The programme will follow five broad stages: Profile, Educate, Develop, Connect and Progress,” said Mwale.
Mwale said during the initial phase players will be identified and profiled to establish baseline information and understand their individual needs. This will inform subsequent interventions in areas such as academic support, digital skills, leadership, life skills, career readiness and personal development.
“As the initiative develops, the partners will also seek relationships with schools, tertiary institutions, training providers, employers, sponsors and other organisations that can create opportunities for participating players. The underlying philosophy is that rugby development should not be separated from the broader development of the individual. While only a small proportion of young rugby players will ultimately make professional sport their career, the discipline, teamwork, resilience and leadership developed through rugby can become valuable foundations for success in education, employment, entrepreneurship and community leadership,” said Mwale.
Manicaland Rugby chairman, Casper Bandi, said the partnership seeks to answer a wider question on pathways for young players.
“The partnership seeks to answer a wider question: what pathway exists for a young rugby player regardless of how far he or she ultimately progresses in the sport?” said Bandi.
Under the agreement, Manicaland Rugby will provide the rugby-development environment, facilitate access to participating players and coaches, and support the collection of rugby-related information.
SavannaEd will coordinate the education and personal development pathway, analyse emerging needs and help develop relationships with education providers, employers and other potential opportunity partners.
Vumba Rugby Village Academy will provide the digital environment for player profiling, data collection and progression tracking, allowing the partners to build a clearer picture of each participating player’s journey.
The three organisations will operate under one partnership framework, with representatives from each organisation forming a steering team responsible for reviewing progress and coordinating activities during the pilot.
Mwale said this can eventually allow Manicaland to follow a player’s journey from school or club rugby through tertiary education, employment, elite rugby, coaching, refereeing, administration, entrepreneurship or other career pathways.
“Rather than limiting sponsorship to kit, competitions and branding, future partners could support specific aspects of player development, including education, technology, mentorship, career exposure, training and other opportunities,” he said.
The longer-term ambition is to create a sustainable system in which rugby becomes not only a competitive sport but also a platform through which young people can access education, develop leadership capabilities and discover opportunities.
“For Manicaland Rugby, the initiative forms part of a broader effort to strengthen the province’s rugby ecosystem while ensuring that development remains centred on the player as a person. A stronger rugby system will ultimately be built not simply by producing better players, but by developing better-prepared young people,” said Bandi.
