admin
Veronica Gwaze, Sports Reporter
HAD it not been for football, Chapungu Queens and Heart Cup Player of the Tournament, Ethel Chinyerere’s life would probably have been ruined at a young age.
Growing up in a struggling family, plunged into poverty by the death of their father, Chinyerere, the last born and only girl in a family of five, had to endure the worst.
When her father died, she was only five.
Instantly, the mother Irene Mukandatsama had to step up and provide for the family.
This meant travelling to Chipinge and Mozambique for weeks, doing business to provide for the family leaving virtually no one to tend to her daughter.
To keep up with her adventurous brothers, Chinyerere had to tag along wherever they went.
In no time, she found herself also joining them as they played street football.
“That was the only way, otherwise I would spend the entire day by myself at home without food,” she said.
Enrolling at Mkoba 4 Primary school the following year, she would continue to play football with boys at school.
Without girls’ football at the school at that time, Chinyerere, who at the time showed a lot of potential, would be roped in to play with the boys.
She was to become one of the girls’ football pioneers at the school before she proceeded to Matinunura High School.
It is here that she was spotted by Rufaro High School, who then offered her a life changing scholarship.
“Things were tough at home, boys would disappear every morning purportedly on job hunting missions so I would go to school on an empty stomach,” she recalls.
“We had one meal per day, in the evenings when they (brothers) were back so I literally was alone in my mother’s absence.”
Without proper maternal guidance, she had to figure herself out on adolescent and menstrual health.
Some of her mates, she recalls, fell on the wayside due to teen pregnancies and other ills.
Yet she remained resolute.
“My life now revolved around football, I had grown to love the game despite my mother being against it so when the scholarship was a huge escape for me,” she said.
“I was safe in school. However, I had to play barefooted as my mother could not afford soccer boots but that did not deter me.”
Making an early crack into professional football, Chinyerere joined Chipembere before moving to Chapungu (then Blue Swallows) in 2013.
Chinyerere, who is now a member of the Airforce of Zimbabwe would on her way up play alongside veterans Sheila Makoto, Edline Mutumbami and Rudo Neshamba.
With several accolades to her name, she recently won the inaugural Heart Cup Player of the Tournament and top goal scorer medals.
She netted one of the goals that added up to cup winners Chapungu’s 4-0 victory against Black Mambas at The Heart Stadium.
The 2022 Zimbabwe Women Soccer League Golden Boot winner feels that football gave her comfort and the gods smiled at her.
“Everything is a surprise, I never pictured things penning out this way,” she said.
“During the crowning moment, the first thing that came to mind was my mother and the struggles she went through after dad’s passing.
“She toiled to give me ‘everything’ I needed, it was a tall order but she did her best and I was content.”
Walking away US$2 500 richer on top of the team’s gold medal prize, Chinyerere just wants to pamper her mother.
“Walking away, all I wanted was to spoil my mother, it is my time to make it up to her,” she said.
Her incredible journey is a demonstration of staunch passion, resilience and determination.
She feels that her journey should inspire young girls to pursue their dreams, break barriers and defy societal expectations.
“Remember I used to get a bashing for playing football, I would also be labelled all sorts of names because the game was predominantly male at the time, but giving up was not an option,” she said.
Chapungu now sit second on the log standings with 61 points (game in hand), three behind leaders Black Rhinos in 23 games.
After netting a brace in their 2-0 victory over Highlanders Royals recently, Chinyerere hopes to maintain form when they face nemesis Black Rhinos in a top of the table clash today at Mkushi Grounds.
Online Reporter