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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
NEMANE High School’s preparations to play host to the zonal and Tsholotsho District National Association of Secondary School Heads (Nash) track and field athletics competitions are on course, an official has declared.
According to Nemane High sports director Xolani Mumba, the school, which is situated about 23KM West of Tsholotsho business centre, will first play host to the Central Zone One meet featuring four other schools, Mavela High, Tsholotsho High, Zibungululu Secondary and Landa John Nkomo High from February 23-24.
The zonal competitions will result in a zonal team being selected for the district finals that will see 26 schools’ representatives converging at the same venue from March 2-3.
“Our preparations are going well as we get ready to host our visitors. While we might be worried about the incessant rains that have been pounding the country, we take solace in that we have sandy soils that quickly absorb water,” said Mumba.
He said they will also take advantage of the grass that is growing on the track.
“Our lanes will be demarcated by the grass because if we put whitewash, it will be washed away if it rains,” said Mumba, one of the most successful athletics coaches in Matabeleland North province who defied all odds to form an athletics club in the rural area.
Lack of funds, however, saw Happy Feet Athletics Club facing serious viability challenges despite polishing the skills of Daniel Ncube, who went on to represent Zimbabwe at the African Union Sports Council Region Five Games in 2014.
“As part of moves to capacitate our coaches, we conducted a refresher course at Mavela High School last week because we felt our officiating has really not been up to the expected standards. Our coaching also needs some improvements as some athletes are taught wrong things which manifest during competitions when athletes make silly mistakes,” said Mumba.
He called on school authorities to allow their coaches to attend a coaching clinic for sprints at Northlea High School that starts tomorrow and ends on Saturday.
“It’s the district that stands to benefit, but if we don’t go then it’s the district again that stands to suffer,” he said.
Meanwhile, renowned Botswana sprint coach Otsetswe Mogomotsi is expected to arrive in Bulawayo today to conduct a three-day athletics course focusing on sprints.
The course starts today and ends on Saturday at Northlea High School, according to Bulawayo Athletics Board chairman Manuel Mpofu.
The course, targeting coaches and school teachers, is being held under the auspices of the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (Naaz). It comes after a brutal acknowledgement that the country has been dismally performing in sprint events at regional and international competitions.
“It’s all about speed development for the athlete. This course is open to all coaches, including those in rugby, although we are mainly targeting athletics as we have noted that Zimbabwe has not been performing well in sprints,” said Mpofu.
He said he was convinced the widely travelled and experienced Batswana coach would leave a lasting legacy for Zimbabwe athletics.
He has seen it all and has been to big international meets, including the Rio Olympics last year where he coached 18-year-old Karabo Sibanda into an impressive fifth place finish in the 400M and 4X400M events.
Mogomotsi, who has led Botswana in major competitions, is a holder of a diploma in Track and Field Coaching from the University of Mainz in Germany.
Blessed with a wealth of experience in athletics coaching, Mogomotsi led his country in the 2012 Africa Senior Championships held in Berlin, the 2012 Olympic Games and the 2014 Africa Senior Championships in Morocco.
He was in Harare last week where he conducted a similar course.
@skhumoyo2000
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