adminTHE 14th edition of the Youth Education through Sport (YES) Games has come and gone but the essential life skills imparted to youngsters during the inter-provincial sports festival will continue to linger in the minds of many participants. As per their tradition, this years’ edition of the national YES games were held during the first week of December when they coincide with the National Tree Planting Day, although last year the event was limited to provincial level in order to afford the chance for participants to also take part in the African Union Youth Games which were running concurrently in Bulawayo.
Just like in the previous editions, in Chinhoyi, participants competed for top honours in soccer, netball and volleyball.
Team Manicaland was comprised of 82 participants.
Accordingly, the young participants got value out of the three days spent in the Mashonaland West capital of Chinhoyi.
“I think we learnt a lot of things that we did not know before we came here. It is good for us and our future careers,” said 13-year-old Kelvin Mtengo, who finished his Grade Seven studies at St Josephs’ Primary School in Chikanga, Mutare.
His counterpart, Brian Zvakare, a Zamba Primary School pupil in Sakubva, spoke glowingly about the importance of the YES Games.
“I think this is a good opportunity for us to learn life skills and desist from drugs and alcohol as young athletes.
We hope we will be able to get more of this in future so that we achieve our dreams in our sporting careers,” said Zvakare, who was also part of his age group national team that participated in the COSSASA Games.
Manicaland was represented by Mutare-Haarlem in men’s soccer, St Columbus’ in netball, St Davids Bonda in girls’ volleyball and Dangamvura High in women soccer.
Hordes of athletes descended on Mutare when the two-day provincial finals of the Youth Education through Sport (YES) Games were held recently that eventually culminated into the Chinhoyi national finals.
Apart from the sports skills development component, the YES Games are also aimed at imparting peer education to youths in the face of HIV and Aids as well as enhance youth participation in community development projects. — www.manicapost.com
Online Reporter