Chronicle Editor
Lovemore Dube
STUNG by rampant poaching incidents in Southern Africa, Matthew Bracken, a United States native, decided to use sport as a tool to fight the scourge.
What further irked him was that many young people were getting killed while poaching, thus giving birth to a sports idea that has since spread to four countries, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe where there is a thriving Zifa Area Zone League on the south-east tip of the Hwange National Park.
Participants are drawn from Gwayi River settlement on the Victoria Falls up to Makwandara almost 60km away.
Bracken looks back with pride over his achievements with the communities and the positive sporting and social impact his initiative has had.
A decade ago, he asked the Sabi community in Mozambique what he could do for youths not to be involved in poaching and other social ills.
He said the response was overwhelming that the community needed football.
They said they need a football league to keep them busy, something they love.
“So the football league was a gift from the rhino to the people, so the league is brought by local wildlife, in 2016 we started the league in Mozambique,” said Bracken.
They started off with 20 teams in 2016 and in 2018 a women’s soccer league was established in the Sabi community, a small village in Mozambique on the border with the Kruger National Park where poaching was rampant.
Youths were being killed while poaching and did not have anything else to indulge in to stay away from vices.
“After Covid-19 we expanded to Zimbabwe in 2021 where we have a 20-team men’s league, nine women’s teams and 12 youths. The Rhino Champions Soccer League has worked better than expected. Now people are gathering at the football ground, there are hundreds of them here, you see young men and women, they are together here, they are not doing drugs. There is hope, they have games every weekend and have training during the week days. They have to be accountable to their youths,” said Bracken in Dete on Heroes Day at the finals for men, women and youths, an annual event that brings the Dete community together.
Some drive or travel from nearby villages like Chezhou, Dingane, Makwandara, Gurambira, Nengasha, Cross Dete, Dopota, Lupote, Mabale and Gwayi for the finals.
Bracken disclosed that each one of the teams has 30 registered players and five officials.
While the message is about fighting poaching, animals and environmental protection, the leagues in each of the four countries are creating opportunities for youths with for instance 1 435 involved in Zimbabwe.
Already one player from the league is on the books of Bikita Minerals, premier league team.
He disclosed that the local community was benefiting from the league as people sold their wares during matches and also that transport which is paid for by the league is provided by locals.
“We pay to train referees, we sent 28 referees to Bulawayo to get Fifa training, other youths will be trained in sports medicine with the Red Cross, get them a proper first aid kit. We pay transporters to drive the teams to the games,” said Bracken.
He said the future looks bright for the RCCL with plans on the table to expand within the countries and to add more States with Botswana, Kenya and Zambia set to be embraced soon.
“We want to expand the league to new areas where there is wildlife, we expect to expand into Zambia, Botswana and Kenya as well,” said Bracken.
The good news for Zimbabwe is that areas with wildlife and poaching activity may be considered.
Bracken said it has not been smooth sailing for RCCL where he is president as he started off with his own funding but is happy that locals and international companies are on board as sponsors.
“I have used my own money to build what you see here, now that we are expanding we are knocking on the door to ask for some sponsorship, this year we have local and international companies on board, we are expanding,” said Bracken.
He said any company with an interest in youths would find investing in the Rhino Champions League worth it.
The unconventional people-centered approach to conservation, appears to be working as it is sustainable and a socially just way.
It has been noted that in Africa, youths from areas surrounding wildlife which are often remote, hard to reach, are marginalised with school dropout levels high and teen pregnancies saddening statistic-wise.
“Rhino poaching and that of other animals remains a major issue that must be addressed more promptly, and marginalised youths are targeted by wildlife crime syndicates as prime poaching recruits.
“In essence, we believe that by harnessing three key emotions, including pride, gratitude, and compassion for rhinos through football, we will make significant contributions towards improving the situation for both youth and rhinos,” said Bracken who is heavily involved with the painted dog another threatened animal in Dete.
Football is popular and connects with youths and communities.
Among the tournament highlights was a 13-year-old officiating the juniors’ final and an all-women cast in the senior men’s final.
Honey Badgers won the men’s final beating Mpalanyana 4-1 on penalties after they had played out a 1-1 draw in normal time with Young Sables Soccer Academy (Yasa) beating Eagles 2-0 in the women’s final.
It was a great day for Dete football as the host centre as juniors won the final 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
Zimbabwe football legend and Highlanders assistant coach Agent Sawu was guest of honour and said he was impressed with the games and standard of competition.
Teams were presented uniforms for the final and brand new football boots for all the men’s teams that play in the league.
Councillors for some of the wards in which league teams are drawn from, Esau Sibanda from Mabale, Esau Dube from Dopota and Stanley Torima commended the league for a positive conservation, sporting and social impact in the area.
Online Reporter