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Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
MPOPOMA High School have for years been known for their academic prowess, with the institution proudly nicknamed “The High School”.
Most children growing up in suburbs surrounding the school aspire to go to Mpopoma High School because of their excellent pass rate.
However, Mpopoma High school have over the years extended their dominance beyond the classroom with success on the sporting field.
Last weekend saw the Mpopoma girls being crowned champions of the National Association of Secondary Heads Under-17 volleyball held at Regina Mundi in Gweru. It was the third time that the Mpopoma lasses, who are under the tutelage of Brilliant Sibanda, have won the trophy. Before the Under-17 started their dominance in 2017, the Under-20 had won the national trophy in 2015.
Mpopoma had three of their players, captain Cathy Moyo, Jennipher Tembo and Kelly Ncube chosen in the Zimbabwe team for the Confederation of School Sport Associations of Southern Africa Games to be held in Zambia in August. Tembo was voted best blocker as well as Most Valuable Player at the tournament in Gweru.
Mpopoma sports director, James Rugwevera expressed their desire to dominate on the sporting field not only in Bulawayo but to extend their supremacy to the whole country. As the Under-17 volleyball were competing in Gweru last week, their boys football counterparts were also representing Bulawayo in a Nash tournament played on the Barbourfields Stadium outside fields. Mpopoma also have their teams heading into this week’s Copa Coca-Cola Bulawayo finals as the defending champions.
“The vision that we’ve got to conquer Zimbabwe is the one that is motivating us so that we actually win these games. As it is we had our Under-17 boys play in the Under-17 tournament at BF, we also have got a number of teams that are going to play in provincial championships so that go and probable represent Bulawayo in Copa Coca-Cola, Under-20 girls and also volleyball Under-20 girls and boys,’’ Rugwevera said.
With the girls having done well at national competitions, Rugwevera is looking to get the boys to also start making an impact.
“We will be trying by all means to defend the trophy, not only in the Under-17 girls, we also want to start winning things in the boys’ section so we are working towards that.”
Senior master Gift Ncube said as a school they were proud with what the girls have achieved seeing that they are not only the best in Bulawayo but in Zimbabwe.
“We are very proud and we feel big because of what we have done. This is not the first time, nor it is the second time but this is the third time in a row which means that we are not only the best in Bulawayo but we are the best even in the country,’’ Ncube said.
One thing for sure, Mpopoma are building a reputation as a sporting powerhouse in Bulawayo and their dominance is being felt at national level.
derick.khumalo