Mugwendere on BJM football academy

Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
IT’S more than two years since the launch of the Bob Joshua Mugabe Football Academy in Mabvuku and its head coach Peter Mugwendere has expressed satisfaction with the progress they have made so far in promoting junior development in the high-density suburb. The academy is owned by former CAPS United striker Innocent Mugabe, who is based in the UK, and has five age-groups from the Under-10, Under-12, Under-14, Under-16 and Under-18.

It was set up in 2014 at Tashinga Primary School with Mugwendere coming in as the head of the academy. Their Under-14, Under-16 and Under-18 teams have been competing in the Harare Junior League since 2015.

Mugwendere said they have made some strides in their project with the Under-14, Under-16 and Under-18 sides competing in the Harare Junior League and paid tribute to Mugabe for making it possible for the young players to pursue their interests in football.

“Mr Mugabe is the one who started this whole idea. He thought of ploughing back to the community of Mabvuku by coming up with such a project.

“We now have four players that are over the age of 18 and so we are trying to cater for this group. We started with a small group but the numbers increased as the youngsters began to notice we were professional in our operations.

“So far we are playing in the Harare Junior League which is a great achievement. We have four players who have gone to Chemhanza School, they are a soccer powerhouse. One of them Brendon Sachikono got a scholarship at Chemhanza.

“So we have got these other guys who went to Chinhoyi, five of them they are Under-18 players. They are on a scholarship all of them so these are some of the achievements,” said Mugwendere. Mugwendere said they are making progress with their teams coming among the top in the junior league and they currently have 90 players for the various age-groups.

“This is because of the routine training we get our players through and our training is professional. Every match we evaluate it, we plan for our programmes and this has seen a lot of improvement for our players.