Teachers’ colleges games begin

The games will see three Zone B based colleges, United College of Education, Gweru-based Mkoba Teachers’ College and the hosts, Hillside, competing.
Another football administrator who is also the principal of Hillside Teachers’ College, Elkaner Dube, confirmed that Gumede, who is also the Zifa vice president as well as the acting president of the Zimbabwe Referees Committee, will be their guest of honour.
“We have invited one of the most astute administrators in the country, Gumede, to officially open these important games in our calendar as tertiary institutions. The opening ceremony will be held tomorrow morning,” said Dube.

Gumede, in his speech, is expected to touch on the contentious issue of fair play, a policy endorsed by world soccer governing body, Fifa. He will also probably speak about the dangers of match-fixing in any sport.
The former Highlanders chairman, a teacher by profession, is the chairman of the four-member Zifa investigations committee that led to the suspension of 103 players, three Zifa board members and the subsequent dismissal of then chief executive officer Henrietta Rushwaya, for their role in the Far East tours by Zimbabwean representative sides.

The chairman of the Zone, Brian Manuel, said athletes will compete in seven different disciplines, athletics, netball, volleyball, basketball, lawn tennis, chess and darts.
“Athletics will be at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) because we want to have a standard track while all ball games will be at Hillside with indoors, chess and darts at the college hall,” said Manuel.

He said after the end of the games tomorrow, a select side will be announced that will represent Zone B at the ZITCOSA national finals at Belvedere College in Harare at the end of this month.

“From the national finals, we will then select a teachers’ college team that will compete against other colleges like technical and universities in May,” said the Zone B colleges’ chairman.

Last year, the ZITCOSA national finals were held at Hillside with most participants expressing satisfaction at the way the games were run.