Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube, Zimpapers Sports Hub
JAMES Rugwevera the founding director of Mpopoma Sports Academy, who recently finished third in the Caf Under-17 Girls Integrated Football Tournament in Norton, says the event was an eye opener.
He said they got the opportunity to meet and share ideas with teams from other countries. From the conversations, Rugwevera said they realised that they were probably starting the girls late and hence they need to re-purpose and change approach.
Most Zimbabwean female soccer players start playing the sport in their teens, which is a bit late as a stage would have been skipped.
In their teens they should be switching more to tactics with so many basics taught before the age of 10.
“We mingled with Sundowns (South Africa) and Luwinga of Malawi. They encouraged us to start the girls from the age of nine, we learnt a lot from them,” he said.
Rugwevera whose Mposa senior team plays in the Zimbabwe Premier Women’s Soccer League, said athlete development stage was key to succeeding in the future.
“I would say we learnt a lot on how to produce an athlete. It is never an event but a process,” he said.
The Mpopoma lasses were chosen by Zifa to represent the country. They have a decent effort for women’s soccer with primary school going children playing with older girls in age-groups at the club thereby creating a seamless chain of talent production with little means.
“We would like to thank our football association Zifa for affording us the chance to represent the country. It actually exposed the kids and we hope with this exposure, the girls will be fired up in their development moving forward,” said Rugwevera.
The Mpopoma High School mathematics teacher, who was honoured some months ago by the institution for producing good results at O-level, said funding ahead of such events was key.
“Most of those teams were taken care of by their association and we would like to reach out to Zifa so that next time we go back well prepared,” said Rugwevera adding that with funding ahead of the event, they could have done better.
He said from the event they learnt that in Malawi all the talented girls are brought together, it is a national project.
Rugwevera said his girls played well as a unit with Chiedza Khumalo again shining and making it to the Team of the Tournament.
While the performance of Mposa Juniors was commendable, a dark cloud hangs over the future of the Premiership side.
“We finished six after struggling with funding last year. It is plain that we cannot continue with the project unless someone comes forward and sponsors it or takes the franchise over with our talented girls. Their welfare will have to be taken care of, whoever thinks about having a club at that level or partnering, Mposa is there,” said Rugwevera.
