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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
AFTER successfully holding their inaugural Soccer Stars of the Year awards last year, the Northern Region Division One Soccer League will again this season reward their outstanding players and the selection has been set for this weekend in Harare.
The region held their first awards last year with the Soccer Star of the Year Zivanai Mhanda walking away with a car, courtesy of World Navi, the then main sponsors of the league.
However, the league and World Navi terminated their partnership early this year before the latter came back on board to sponsor the Soccer Star of the Year award and the winner for this year will again get a car.
The selection for the best 11 players who have done exceptionally well this season is scheduled for Saturday at Cresta Oasis in Harare.
The league’s chairman, Willard Manyengavana, yesterday said they were also going to reward the other 10 players unlike last year when only the top player got a prize.
“There is still a vehicle for the soccer star, there will be something of course for the other 10 players. They will definitely get something this time around.
“Last year they didn’t get anything, we didn’t have money and we didn’t get a sponsor for the other 10 players.
“But we are saying this time we are sourcing funds so that they get something. For the soccer star we got a car from World Navi and we have sent letters asking for donations from some people we have dealt with in the past.
“The response, although we have not collected anything so far has been very encouraging.
“The first runner-up will get a prize obviously higher than that of the second runner-up and the second runner-up will get a prize also higher than the other eight players. But I am not able to give the figures at the moment,” said Manyengavana.
Supreme Panel Beaters, who sponsored the Golden Boot award last year, have remained on board and will reward the top goal scorer of the year.
They also sponsor the monthly awards.
“Supreme Panel Beaters has been honest and faithful to their promise. And obviously at the end of the year they have made it clear they are going to honour their promise to pay the overall top goal scorer,” Manyengavana said.
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