Chronicle Editor
Lovemore Dube
FORMER Mighty Warriors and Highlanders Royals star Pamela “Mabhonzo” Ndlovu has found a new lease of life at ZSports Academy in Mpumalanga, South Africa.
The academy is the brainchild of former Highlanders junior and CMED player Zenzo Ndlovu who is based in Alabama in the United States.
“I am the operations person at ZSports Academy which is a branch of the international brand. We are at KwaMhlanga in Mpumalanga, South Africa. The main wing is in Alabama where the founding director Zenzo Ndlovu is based,” said Ncube, a sports enthusiast from childhood.
Ncube said the academy was founded in 2021 after Ndlovu had built a clubhouse with all the basics for a soccer academy.
With over a 100 children from the ages of four to 21, the place is always a hive of activity with in-residence players and those from the surrounding communities.
Ncube left Zimbabwe a decade ago and started her coaching career taking care of four to 13-year-olds at Soccer Stars.
“I played for Highlanders Royals and a few games for Zimbabwe. I was a member of the 2000 Mighty Warriors team that played in the Afcon finals but did not make the cut. I then went to South Africa to pursue a coaching career.
“I coached Soccer Stars Academy which is based in Midrand, Johannesburg specialising in kids as young as four years up to 13. We were doing it with pre-school (creche) and primary schools from 2014 to 2015,” said Ncube.
She then moved to Stamina Academy based in Johannesburg for a season in 2016-17.
Ncube moved to Sporting CP of Portugal based in Bedfordview in Eastgate in Johannesburg where she coached from 2018 to 2020 alongside Fortune “Fokoza” Ncube, another ex-footie from Zimbabwe.
She then joined ZSports Academy, a centre they built from scratch as part of Zenzo Ndlovu’s dream to give back to the less privileged. The centre accommodates players and teams as it has good camping and training facilities.
“We started in 2021 and we now have almost 100 players all age groups up to 21 years. Some of these players are staying at the clubhouse while others are from within the community and surroundings.
“We also have players from Zimbabwe and almost all South Africa and some from as far as Cape Town,” said Ncube.
She said their clubhouse which is near Pretoria accommodates clubs on off-season and teams on tour in South Africa and that they have good rates for Zimbabwean clubs.
Ncube said she was happy that in the three years the academy has been in existence some of the girls have been snapped up by Hollywood Bets clubs with another girl having been called up for the Mighty Warriors for this year’s Cosafa tournament.
“We have Peacemore Kenende who is playing South Africa Hollywood Premier League football. She was called up for the Mighty Warriors this year. One of the boys made it to the South African Under-17 draft squad,” she said.
She said she is finding working with children fulfilling. Ncube is a South African Football Association B Licence holder and was also trained at Sporting CP of the parent club’s football curriculum.
She said her dream is to see ZSport Academy growing into one of the best in Southern Africa nurturing ripe and ready talent at the age of 15-17 for a global market.
Online Reporter