Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Under-16 baseball coach Shepherd Sibanda says proper preparations are key to his side staging a respectable performance in the South African Inter-Provincial tournament in April 2020.
The national side will face South African provincial sides at the annual baseball event in which it has largely struggled.
South Africa play elite baseball and the availability of high-performance academies puts them way ahead of Zimbabwe.
The Zimbabwe team held its first training camp at Hamilton High School last month and is expected to have two more similar camps before leaving for South Africa.
“We are yet to confirm the next dates for our second camp but the first one went well. It was very important to bring everyone together because it was our first camp as a squad. The main goal was to strategise and try to build a strong team that will give us good representation. The provincial sides in South Africa are good but l believe if we prepare well. This being an Under-16 tourney is very important because there is need to go back to the grassroots if we are to develop the sport,” said Sibanda.
Baseball is one sporting discipline that has endured financial woes in Zimbabwe resulting in number of talented players leaving to play in other countries.
Zim Under-16 Squad
Tinotenda Satore, Leopord Mugou, Tanaka Marauro, Percy Verenga, Mduduzi Ndlovu, Thabo Ncube, Ashton Chivizhe, Clayton Mpofu, Lucas Majoni, Albert Mkandla, Dumolwenkosi Tshuma, Predigious Kwenda, Ethan Peters, Fortune Mhlanga, Brian Muropa, Kwanisai Tanaka, Gawananeni Ropes, Charara Panashe, Takawira Shepherd, Magare Munash. – @innocentskizoe
Online Reporter