Mason boost for Young Sables

Deputy Sports Editor

BRENDAN MASON is a determined and multi-talented young lad.

He is determined to run out the park in the green-and-white stripes of the Young Sables again, set himself up for the future through education, and, most importantly, make his parents proud.

The Zimbabwe Under-20 utility player has had more than his fair share of setbacks and heartbreaks in his fledgling sporting career.

Once a promising BMX rider, the former St John’s learner was forced to give up one of his first loves due to school commitments.

He had to make the painful decision just when he was starting to make his mark on the world stage when he came sixth in both the Copenhagen (Denmark) and Birmingham (UK) editions of the BMX World Championship.

“One of the few things that people don’t really know about me is that I used to be a BMX rider, and actually came sixth at the BMX World Championship in Copenhagen and Birmingham in 2011 and 2012 (respectively),” said Mason.

“Unfortunately, I had to give up the sport early Form One at St John’s College due to the amount of school work and the other school sports that I had to commit to.

“I played water polo, field hockey, rugby and cricket, and finding time to ride was difficult as it was an outside school sport and I couldn’t get excused from those sports to train.”

His other early love, cricket, also faded due to the demands of school and rugby.

And his most recent heartbreak came early this year when he was forced to follow his Young Sables teammates’ Barthe’s Trophy success from a distance.

Mason is a freshman studying business administration at Lindenwood University in the United States of America, and, as such, failed to make the trip to Kenya in April for the Barthes Trophy.

However, watching his team lift the trophy after beating perennial rivals Namibia 19-14 in the final has made the whole experience bitter-sweet for the fullback and flyhalf.

“It was tough not being able to be part of the success the Young Sables achieved at the Barthes Trophy, and due to the time zones between Kenya and Zimbabwe, I wasn’t able to watch many of the games,” said Mason.

“The lads did really well and coming back with the trophy made the whole experience bitter-sweet.”

Mason saluted the quartet of Takudzwa Musingwini, Tawanda Matipano, Brendon Marume and Tavonga Ablant, who received senior team calls-up after impressing in Kenya.

For him, their achievements should rub onto the rest of the squad as they serve as an inspiration.

For his part, he has since received a second chance to re-write his own Young Sables story.

This comes after the youth team received an invitation to next month’s Canada Rugby International Series, an initiative by World Rugby aimed at giving some game time to the Under-20 Junior Rugby Trophy participating teams.

He is on a break from school and coach Shaun De Souza has included him in his enlarged 61-man training squad.

“It’s always nice to be part of the Zimbabwe rugby set-up. I immediately jumped at the offer when I received the call from coach De Souza.

“It was heart-warming to say the least because it gave me the chance to fight back my spot on the team and possibly run onto the pitch wearing the Young Sables jersey again.

“We have a very competitive squad and it will be a tough challenge simply to make the starting line-up.

“However, I have been playing rugby consistently for the last ten months at Lindenwood University; just growing and learning.

“My game has really picked up and I am ready for the challenge.”

Lindenwood University has opened a number of doors for him to explore.

With over three years of school left, he could yet be eligible to play for the United States in the not-so-distant future.

There is also the option of plying his trade in the more competitive American National Rugby League (AMNRL), and, locally, the chance to wear the Sables jersey.

Mason is, however, only likely to consider all those options after completing his degree.

“At the moment, being a freshman at college, I haven’t got a set plan yet.

“My hopes are to maybe play in the AMNRL after graduating, but beyond that I don’t really have anything set in store.

“I do hope to play for the Sables in the near to distant future.

“Other than that, my main focus right now is to do well in camp, make the cut and regain my Young Sables jersey.”