adminThe five-day event expected to be attended by up to 150 participants will start on 10 August and end on 14 August at Esigodini Agricultural Institute.
Teams from the country’s 10 provinces are expected to participate with a minimum of three teams each, with two teams for men and a team for women.
A team of men consists of six participants and two substitutes while four women make up a team plus two substitutes.
“Some might like to bring in youth teams as the fourth, there is room for that.
“The hosting team can bring in up to three teams for men and two teams for women,” the Matabeleland South Darts Association secretary-general Ben Mashati said.
Matabeleland South will be represented by participants drawn from Gwanda District’s 13 teams.
The teams that make up the league are Gwanda Prison, Njula Stars, Talk of Gwanda, Strides, Gwanda District Club, Construction, Blanket A, Blanket B, Big Josh, Cry Mantengwane, Colleen Bawn, ZRP West Nicholson and Thula Mantengwane.
The province also has a junior team of pupils from Gwanda High School while plans are under way to introduce another from JZ Moyo High School.
Mashati said participants that went through the first trial had been shortlisted for the second trial and were undergoing serious training.
The province boasts of one of the country’s best female players, Hloniphani Ndlovu, ranked number seven at the national trials that took place early this year.
“We are working tirelessly to make this Heroes tourney a success. One of the problems we have is that we have very few ladies. As a team we are also appealing to the corporate world for sponsorship so that we can buy uniforms and also nurture a lot of talent among the juniors that we might want to tap in,” he said.
Growley Enterprises is working together with the association to sponsor its activities.
“If our organisation impresses, there is a possibility we might host the National Annual Easter Tournament next year,” said Mashati.
Online Reporter