Online Reporter
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
MHAKWE High School-based Western Academy, nestled in the thickets of Chimanimani, is proving that football talent knows no bounds – whether urban or rural – after holding its own against Mutare-based football academies.
Last weekend, the academy, financed and owned by transport entrepreneur Moleck Machocho, dismissed Mutare’s Reactors Academy in both the Under 15 and Under 18 matches played in the eastern border city.
The Mhakwe-based academy outplayed Reactors’ Under 15 team 3-2, thanks to goals from vice-captain Honest Muruwa and a brace from Mike Muusha.
Masimba Mapuranga and Wendwell Mandiringa scored for the Chikanga-based Reactors.
In the Under 18 contest, Western Villa Academy emerged victorious once again, beating the home side 2-1, with Glee Jerekete and Marlon Sithole on target. Reactors’ Pride Choba pulled one back for his team.
This weekend, Western Villa Academy, powered by the mercurial talents of exceptionally gifted players, including Glee Jerekete, goalkeeper George Mutambanengwe, Mahlatse Ngarivhume, captain Fortune Manzou, and Mude Marowa, among others, will face stiff competition when they take on highly rated Mutare academies La Sakubva and MAJESA.
The round-robin junior football matches, featuring Under 15 and Under 18 teams, will be played at a venue to be confirmed in Mutare.
Christened Western Villa Academy, a name derived from its location in the western part of Chimanimani district, this two-month-old football academy has already brought hope of professional and disciplined football training to young boys aged 12 to 20 from across the district.
The youngsters are honing their football skills under the tutelage of dedicated coach Godfrey Chimana.
With the technical assistance from Buffaloes’ coaches Collins ‘Sete’ Masembo and Patrick ‘Fancho’ Alfasi, Western Academy is introducing up-to-date training methods for junior footballers in the rural community of Mhakwe.
Machocho said: “This is our modest contribution to developing rural-based football talent. Having grown up in this area, we yearned for such opportunities, and now we are motivated to provide these youngsters with a platform to hone their skills.
“This initiative is in line with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s vision of leaving no one and no place behind. We will continue to utilise the limited resources at our disposal to support these young men from across Chimanimani district, even though we are based at Mhakwe High School, which is effectively my hometown.”
