Chronicle EditorTedious Manyepo Sports Reporter—
GWERU will host 10 teams in the annual three-day inter-provincial Under-19 Softball Tournament which begins on December 8. The tournament returns on the local softball calendar as financial and logistical challenges, on the part of the national association, meant the event could not be held in the last five years.This year, however, the Zimbabwe Softball Association have decided to host the competition despite the challenges.
All the country’s 10 provinces will each send a team for the fiesta whose winners will walk away with a floating trophy and some medals.
The tournament will also provide a platform to select the national team which is expected to compete in the 2020 Olympics qualifiers.
Zimbabwe Softball Association president Stornard Mapfumo said the tournament will see some experienced players rubbing shoulders with green horns in what he promised to be an explosive contest.
“We are expecting fireworks at the competition as the players will also be fighting for the national team jersey.
“We will take the opportunity to select national team players whom we expect to use as we bid to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics,” said Mapfumo.
Harare Province have been preparing for the event for the past two months and they are confident they will bring back the trophy.
Marketing and Publicity Manager for Harare Softball Association, Kudzionera Madhodha, said his province has had adequate preparations for the competition.
“We have been preparing for the even since September.
“We have blended youth and experience in the team and we are looking forward to the tournament.
“It has been a while since we last played a tournament of this magnitude but we promise to deliver,” he said.
Linnet Mujuru, Tadiwa Matsveru, Yolanda Zunga and Crucial Chidanda are some of the players who are expected to do well for Harare Province.
Online Reporter