Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
A football academy in Bulawayo, Nkulumane 12 FC aims to champion youth development in the community.
The academy was launched last year and is registered with Zifa to compete in the Southern Region Junior League B.
Over 140 children from Nkulumane 12 are set to benefit from the football development project.
Academy chairman Lloyd Ncube said: “The range of personal and interpersonal challenge that elite youth players encounter suggests the need for provision of appropriate mechanisms within academy training programmes. Nkulumane 12 FC has a sister club in South Africa, Rising Stars. Players from the suburban club have a chance of joining the gold rush to the City of Gold (Johannesburg), as they can earn themselves a place to join the more established Rising Stars if they impress the coaches.”
Rising Stars work with bigger teams like Bidvest Wits in South Africa, hence Nkulumane 12 FC can easily be a stepping stone for players that want to ply their trade in that country.
The academy has been encouraging youngsters to keep fit despite inactivity and to stay at home and follow all Covid-19 guidelines.
Ncube said the academy was working towards ensuring that when sporting activities resume, they will be in a position to guarantee the safety of all their players.
The Nkulumane 12 FC executive is led by Ncube, with Thulani Sihlabo as chief executive officer, Francis Phiri (marketing), John “Mabreka” Khumalo (secretary) and Richard Muponde (media liason officer). — @innocentskizoe
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