Naaz to hold second forum meeting

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

THE National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (Naaz) will hold a second consultative forum meeting in Harare this weekend aimed at strengthening the association for the next four years.

The three-day meeting which starts today and ends on Sunday, will take place at Belvedere Teachers’ College.

Renowned sports administrator Robert Mutsauki is one of Naaz’s strategic partners and will attend the meeting aimed at establishing a blueprint to enhance the organisation’s performance. Naaz president Tendai Tagara said: “All preparations are at an advanced stage under the leadership of Pretty Maware, the project manager. We are expecting over 50 people to attend the forum. The first consultative meeting was in the first week of November where a selected focus group came up to interrogate and shape the narrative report after a questionnaire was sent to targeted partners of the sport. Veteran sports medicine guru Nick Munyonga and athletes representative Cuthbert Nyasango were part of that group.

“Coaches were represented by their head coach Phakamile Lisimati. On the marketing and development side we had Daniel Kuwengwa, the former director of marketing for the Sports and Recreation Commission, with Titus Zvomuya of Bindura Academy standing in for clubs, while Petros Kausiyo represented the media.

“We picked few board chairpersons to represent the provinces such as Sebastian Garikayi of Harare, Pretty Maware from Mashonaland Central, Bulawayo’s Manuel Mpofu and Njere Shumba of Midlands. This week we bring a wider group, which will include all provincial chairpersons, their secretary-generals, athletes and members of the media. We have also invited sponsors, coaches, the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee, the SRC, the Sports Ministry, universities, private schools and members of the uniformed forces.” Meanwhile, former Kenyan sprinter Geoffrey Kamani will facilitate the International Athletics Associations Federation Level Two coaching course at White City Stadium from December 3-10. The Coaches’ Education and Certification System course will specifically focus on sprints and hurdles. To qualify for this course, one must be a holder of an IAAF Level One new or old badge.