adminLovemore Dube Sports Editor
WHEN Bulawayo looks back after the 2013 edition of the Zimbabwe National Youth Games a legacy would have been left behind.
It is from it that sport in the city should go an inch higher as a new breed of stars is born, officials bred and standard facilities left intact for us to maintain for future generations.
Because of funding problems not much may have been constructed from scratch but a few facilities got a facelift which hopefully will be accessible to a wider audience of the sporting family in the city, region and country.
A lasting legacy is what people look forward to when major sporting events are held and these could be in the form of infrastructure, stars and grown fan bases.
The Bulawayo boxing community, beneficiaries of the Stanley Square Arena, once home to local and national boxing, has come as a good development. No boxing and wrestling matches have been held there since 1995. But the work that has brought the boxing and wrestling to life is something to celebrate as tournaments will now be held in the midst of the masses and many a young boy could be inspired to take to the sport.
“This is where we used to fight. This was a good venue and we are all happy that it has been brought back to life. This has been one gain for us as a sport and we only have to preserve it in good stead,” said Phillip Striker, one of the top coaches in the sport who with Ezwell Ndlovu set up the ring at Stanley Square.
Ndlovu also echoed Striker’s sentiments.
“This looks central and should help us revive boxing in the city. All points to a challenge to all of us to work hard and take the sport to where it belongs,” said Ndlovu.
Provincial chairman Petros Masiyambumbi is enthused with the new-look boxing arena. He too fought there and is looking forward to happy times at Stanley Square.
“I have fond memories of this venue,” he said.
A stretch of about one kilometre of tarred road is being constructed leading to Luveve High School. The school has already benefited from two handball courts which are expected to be used after the tournament by schools and clubs to further the growth of the sport in the city.
Prior to these Games, getting to Luveve High School was a hair-raising encounter on a bumpy and dusty road.
Netball has a new surface at White City with terraces that can accommodate close to 500 fans. Previously girls played 30m away on a poor surface that was responsible for many torn ligaments.
Milton High School has had work done on their volleyball courts with the limited funds the local organising committee got from government and corporate partners. The school has since the days of Mbekezeli Mthunzi, Artwell Mlilo, Vusumuzi Ndebele and Christopher Manyange in the 1980s and 1990s had a rich volley culture.
There is no doubt the decision to refurbish the courts will have its influence felt beyond these Games.
Tennis has always been one of the key sports at Girls College, organisers for the Games made sure work was done on some of the surfaces and this is good for the sport.
Sadly though Bulawayo soccer would have celebrated gains from the Games if terracing at White City had been attended to. It is the third largest soccer venue in Bulawayo and an alternative for Premiership matches. Hopes were high that there would be funding for the construction of terraces for fans. Now as has been the case in the last decade, those coming for activities there like rallies and music shows have to stand or sit on the tarmac or cycle track apart from standing, an excruciating experience.
But at Barbourfields Stadium, the soccer family has reason to celebrate the hosting of the Games in Bulawayo. Two pitches on the ‘B’ Arena now have green turf and are watered regularly after pipes were bought to bring them back to usable conditions ahead of this year’s Zimbabwe National Youth Games.
The human resources factor too has learnt a number of lessons on how to run Games of this magnitude. With the 2014 Zone Six Games set for Bulawayo, a good number of those who participated in the Youth Games will still be available for the challenge and will put lessons drawn from this experience to good use.
Some officials were stubborn especially in athletics and did not serve as good ambassadors for the Games. Sport is about the growth of the athlete and the brand and not selfish egos of administrators.
“The legacy of these Games is multi-fold. We have to look at the human resource aspect, athletes developing to professional levels after this, creating a hype for sport to grow for the future. I certainly hope there have been more positives drawn from this and we can move forward and see the benefits in years to come,” said Bhekuzulu Khumalo, one of the respected sports administrators in the region.
The Sport and Recreation Commission board chairman Joseph James, said he was disappointed with the crowds.
“Yes there are so many legacies being born out of these Games, we were looking at many people coming out to these Games and many children being inspired to take up sport after watching competitions like this one,” said James.
Some of the venues have been found to be far away from the masses leaving competitors to be the only fans on sight. Swimming administrator, Eddie Cyprianos said Bulawayo could draw an inspiration from the Youth Games and come up with its own championships in a number of disciplines. This he said would go a long way in exposing talent while teams would be selected from the Bulawayo Games which would run concurrently in a number of disciplines once administrators came together.
The Games have often been marred by haphazard team selection with accusations of favouritism in the selection of athletes and volunteers.
Njabulo Nkomazana said the work on infrastructure for the Games was something that would leave a legacy about the Games.
He is a handball coach with powerhouse Matabeleland South.
This year’s Zimbabwe National Youth Games have been used as a dress rehearsal for next year’s Zone Six Games.
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Londile Moyo