Vusumuzi Dube
Lovemore Dube
AJAX Hotspurs FC of Mpopoma a prominent junior development feature in Bulawayo has proved to be a conveyor belt of good football talent that has scaled great heights locally and beyond the borders.
Yet the project may not have come to be if the founder, Siphambaniso Dube had stuck to his passion, athletics.
Dube the 1995 Cyrene Mission Athlete of the Year was in the 1995 All-Africa Games provisional squad as a triple jumper alongside former Africa record holder, Ndabezinhle Mdlongwa.
Dube excelled in the triple jump event and the 400m and after school found himself at Kenny Nyape’s fledging athletics club, ZRP later to change to Sprinters. His parents dissuaded him from the sport in the 1990s.
A dream 20 years ago to change people’s lives gave birth to the club. From there would emerge great talent some literally manufactured as some of the boys started before the age of 12 while some came in their teens and were polished at Ajax.
“The passion to change other people’s lives through sport was the compelling reason and football being the chosen one, I decided that I had to impact positively in other people’s lives. The idea was to take them away from the streets and it’s hazards like drug abuse. Adam Ndlovu and Ali Dube were my inspiration.
I wanted to emulate Ali Dube yet at school I was called Adamski for my life idol who promised to shoot me for refusing to release Velile ‘Mahewu’ Siziba a week before he died in that tragic accident,” said Dube.
Ali “Baba” Dube is a revered junior development coach while Ndlovu is rated among the deadliest centre forwards to emerge from Zimbabwe. He played for Highlanders and died in 2012 in a horrific accident near the Victoria Falls International Airport.
Dube said he wants to look back in life some day and say he did good for mankind through sport.
“I want to look back one day and say, at least I changed someone’s life and I was an inspiration to the community that made me who I am today,” said the man who as director and manager has seen the likes of Peter Muduwa and Mamelodi Sundowns leftback Devine Lunga pass through his stable.
He admitted to being inspired by one MaTshabalala of Mpopoma who pays school fees for underprivileged children.
She is the mother-in-law of former Highlanders, Moroka Swallows and Zimbabwe defender, Bekithemba Ndlovu.
Ajax Hotspurs Football Club was founded in May 2001 as Foundation College Football Club, renamed Foundation Hotspurs Football Club and finally Ajax Hotspurs Football Club.
“Having been a sportsperson myself, sprinter (100m, 200m and 400m), triple and long jumper and a member of the provisional 1995 All-Africa Game squad, my parents insisted I take education seriously.
As a school kid I trained with Kaizer Wolves which had the likes of Craig Payne, Michael Indi, Isaac Riyano, Coster Chiimba, Martin Ncube and Pernel McKop who was player/coach,” said Dube.
He went on to play for fellow Division Two side in Bulawayo Advance Wholesalers FC as a speedy striker.
An injury forced him out of the game only to force himself to athletics in the late 1990s joining Sprinters where Nyape was training the likes of Ronald Chiwerera, Gabriel Chikomo, Amukela Gwebu, Garnet Dube, Lewis Banda who holds the national 400m record, Caroline Ncube, Norma Jean-Harry, Gwendolyn Buckley, Juma Phiri, Mkhulumeli Dube and Nelton Ndebele.
Dube says his motto has never been to win things. He is happy with players coming and going through Ajax to greatness.
Grooming youngsters gives his camp great satisfaction.
“As a junior development project, we celebrate when our players break into the Premiership, jump when they earn contracts outside the country,” said Dube.
Divine Xolile Lunga, Peter Muduhwa, Hillary Madzivanyika, Nyasha Garai, Ozias Zibande, Chrispen Machisi, Khumbulani Banda, Mbongeni Lindelwe Ndlovu, Fazo Ndlovu, Emmanuel Dube, Thulani Gumede, Denzil Khumalo, Reward Muza, George Sibanda and Hwange captain Kelly Shiyandindi are among the sport’s unsung hero’s products.
“We are proud to have been associated with the growth of these players on the field and as persons. Take a look Devine has even played in the Champions League.
When you get players like Lunga and Muduhwa rising from your team and playing for the biggest clubs Mamelodi Sundowns and Highlanders FC, it is not the price tag but the impact back in Mpopoma on other kids that we celebrate,” said Dube.
Muduhwa moved for US$2 000 to Highlanders and Madzivanyika P30 000 to Botswana.
Dube said the above were just the most prominent ones as others are scattered all over the country.
One of the players Crispen Machisi spoke highly of Dube.
“He used to do his best for us. He had the love and commitment,” said Machisi who plays for high riding Adachi FC coached by veteran Philani “Beefy” Ncube in the Zifa Southern Region Division One League.
“We take pride in the numbers that are making a living and those that we saved from the streets by providing them with something to keep occupied,” said the former Zifa Assembly member who served in the Bulawayo Zifa Province board.
Dube believes clubs such as his must be assisted by the community, corporate sector and Zifa as they have shown that with meagre resources they have an idea of what should be done.
“We need resources to do better. There is so much talent around,” said Dube.
In 22 years Dube stands tall an unsung hero whose praises are shouted by those he laboured to be better on the field of play.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter