Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube, [email protected]
THE Zimbabwe senior men’s volleyball team coach, says there is no player who is guaranteed a place in the team that will take part in the African Los Angeles Olympics qualifiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo in September.
Zimbabwe won the regional qualifiers in May to set a date with the rest of Africa in the qualifiers to be played in the DRC.
Abu Basuthu says they will not stop at celebrating regional glory but are chasing international endorsement.
He said the hunt for players to add a different dimension to the team’s play was still on, with the Zimbabwe Premier Volleyball League action part of the equation.
“The purpose of this league is for us to progress from the qualifiers (regional) to the next qualifiers (the final Los Angeles Olympics). That we qualified does not mean that those who made the team qualify are guaranteed jerseys,” said Abu Basuthu.
He said he believes there could be other players out there waiting to be identified.
“There might be other players out there waiting to be identified and nurtured. We take these games seriously, that is why am watching all these matches,” said Abu Basuthu.
He said he had spoken to club coaches in charge of some of the national team players to work on some key areas in their game that need attention.
Abu Basuthu said he would be calling two foreign based players to join the team towards the end of the month long camp to be held in August.
Vengai Nyaude, the Zimbabwe Volleyball Association vice president said resource mobilisation was an on-going exercise with a camp set for next month in Harare.
He emphasised that there was still room for new players to make an impression so that they can be considered.
“In terms of resources we have managed to secure tickets from the Government and we are trying to negotiate with the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee so that they can foot bills for accommodation, we are writing letters to the corporate world so that they can donate to the team,” said Nyaude.
