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Sports Reporter
FORMER Dynamos skipper Tafadzwa Maingire has relocated to Makanda, in Wedza, after a brief stint in Botswana.
Now 39, Maingire has been coaching social football clubs in this vast Mashonaland East district and has been getting significant rewards too.
Just last year, Maingire guided Goneso to the ED Mnangagwa tournament glory, which was sponsored by Tinmac Foundation.
While that tournament is scheduled to take place again this year, Maingire will be hoping to lead his team to victory in the newly-launched BG Sniper Wedza social football league.
A total of US$30 000 has been put in place for the league, with the winners expected to pocket US$7 000.
The football league will run alongside a netball league and both are exclusively for out-of-school participants.
The games are scheduled to begin at the end of next month.
Maingire said the leagues will keep the youths out of societal ills like drug abuse and prostitution.
“I have played football at the highest level but due to different circumstances, I have decided to come back to Wedza and live here with my family.
“I occasionally play, but I am now into full-time coaching. I have won a lot of titles as a coach. I am fortunate that all the tournaments played in Wedza are well-funded and we always get something significant just by participating,” said Maingire.
“And the coming in of the BG Sniper league will add another exciting dimension to what we already have on our plate. In Wedza, the level of drug and substance abuse is not as bad as what’s in other areas, thanks to these games that keep the youths busy all year round.
“We welcome this new league and we have to win it as well. The Tinmac Foundation tournament is also coming soon after the other league that we are playing, which ends next month.”
BG Sniper league director Parkston Choto said growing up in Wedza where opportunities were limited drove him into sponsoring the out-of-school youths through sport.
“We will have a football and netball league concurrently running in Wedza. We have set aside over US$ 30 000 for both leagues. We want to ensure that youths who are not in school always stay busy to avoid societal ills,” said Choto.
“As BG Sniper Logistics, we thrive to also make sure that we go out there with scouts so that those talented can get further opportunities to turn professional.
“We believe that football should pay whether it is at a social level or professional level. So besides the ultimate prizes for the winners which is US$7 000 for both football and netball, every team will also get at least US$800 for every win they get.
“That way we will inculcate a competitive spirit amongst the teams and ensure that everyone who gets to be at the games go back home with something at the end of the day.”
All along, BG Sniper has been holding a series of tournaments in and around Wedza with several players like Ngezi Platinum cover goalkeeper Allan Masaya and GreenFuel star Tadiwanashe Mhinyu born out of these events.
Online Reporter