Old Mutual Multi-Sport Academy turns 10

Lovemore Dube, [email protected]
THE president of the Old Mutual Multi-Sport Academy has set his sights on turning their annual event of 50 primary schools to one of the biggest cricket development initiatives not only in Africa but in the world.
Two weeks ago the institution celebrated 10 years of partnership with financial institutions Old Mutual and CABS. Over 4 000 children and 250 schools have been associated with the academy since inception in 2013.
Annually apart from coaching clinics by qualified personnel at the Academy, there is a tournament bringing together schools from the region. Bulawayo Metropolitan, Matabeleland and the Midlands have had children participating in the annual event.
“Old Mutual have been sponsoring the Colts Cup and CABS came on board five years ago to fund the Under-13s. Since 2016, the academy has staged a colts tournament and an Under-13s one featuring both boys and girls.
“This has been a unique development initiative for under privileged kids in the sport where we have boys and girls playing in the same team. It is compulsory for every participating team to have a minimum of four girls, this way we are developing the next generation of female stars. We start them young competing at the same level with their male counterparts.
“This is important in the development of the sport for future development. We ensure the kids are exposed to proper facilities and training from an early age so that they grasp good concepts that they will ride on as they get older and improve their game,” said Joseph Rego on Friday.
He said Zimbabwe has the potential to grow as a cricket playing nation. He said the enthusiasm shown by the communities, corporate sector, schools and Zimbabwe Cricket structures was the right ingredient for future development.
“The more numbers we have at the base for development, the bright the future will be for the sport. Zimbabwe will be a country to beat in the future because we are all attacking at the right point, at grassroots levels. And the good thing is there is all the commitment from the Ministry of Sport, Zimbabwe Cricket, corporate sector and schools. Even communities out there want development of the sport as a priority project,” said Rego.
He said the coming in of the two financial institutions had upped the game in the development of cricket in the region and that it was the intention of both the other founding member, the late Heath Streak and himself.
The partnering with Bulawayo businessman and political heavyweight Elifasi Mashaba had seen the vision growing beyond expectations.
“He is a businessman and I coming from a strategic sports marketing and branding background, we envision seeing this initiative growing from the 10th anniversary to one of the world’s top junior development activities. We have had 50 teams taking part, but we are now looking at this growing to an event in which every school in Zimbabwe will take part. We want it to be the biggest in the world and the net result being quality coming out to represent our country at the biggest stages of global cricket,” said Rego.
To date several top players have been associated with the Academy some having been groomed there directly while others have joined annual trips to India. Every year teams are taken to India for exposure.
Cricket enjoys massive national support. It is the number one sport in India with millions active as players at various levels.
Among some of the notable names are Nathaniel Hlabangana, Liam Mudenda, Tinotenda Maphosa, Brian Bennett, Rogan Wolhuter, Rowyn Konson, Dylan Grant, David Bennett, Munashe Chimusoro, Sakhumuzi Ndlela and Mgcini Dube.
“Because we deal with kids at an early age, we have lost some to other sports and academics but we are proud that dozens have come through and made national age groups teams. The sky is the limit on the next decade of the partnership with CABS and Old Mutual.
“I am happy to celebrate a decade of spearheading cricket development complementing ZC’s efforts at grassroots level. But this would not have been possible without top management at Old Mutual, Lilian Mbayiwa, Mehluli Mpofu at CABS, the Ministry of Education, the Sports Ministry, Zimbabwe Cricket, the corporate sector, schools but most importantly Elifasi Mashaba and His Excellency President Mnangagwa whose support and counsel from the beginning in 2013 has been the core foundation of this sports development initiative in the City of Kings,” said Rego.
How it started
In 2012, Rego who had managed top cricketers like Chris Cairns, Chaminda Vaas, Chris Gayle, Ricky Ponting, Nantie Hayward and the late Streak, was invited to Zimbabwe by the former Chevrons captain.
“Streak wanted me to come and see the set up here as he was keen on starting on development projects. He alongside some top names I managed used to come to India and tour as many provinces running clinics. I was impressed with what I saw and I loved Bulawayo and Zimbabwe people’s hospitality, the climate too had a factor and I resolved to settle here and work on development. The country and Bulawayo are relatively peaceful and an ideal environment,” said Rego.
In 2013 the Academy was launched and has been very much part of the region and national sports development programmes.