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Takudzwa Chitsiga-Sports Reporter
AFTER seeing his dream of bringing a Premier League team from Highfield vanish, football enthusiast and businessman, Rickson Zenda, says he will bounce back a more focused man.
For three seasons, Zenda had an ambitious ZIFA Northern Region Division One League side, Starbill.
His club went toe-to-toe with some of the teams that are now making a mark in the Premiership.
They fought long and hard against the likes of Mushowani Stars, Cranbourne Bullets and Flame Lilly, who all went on to play in the top-flight league.
“I am around and I still follow football from grassroots to the top-flight league,’’ he said.
‘‘As you know, once a footballer, always a footballer.
‘‘I am following proceedings from the sidelines at the moment, but my passion has never changed.
‘‘I am hopeful I will bounce back to football someday as it is a calling. I like to help these youngsters and give them something to spend their time on.
“We may have some challenges here and there, but there is a lot of talent from the high density suburbs, which needs to be given the platform.
‘‘I believe one day my dream of owning a successful club, in the Premier League, will come true.
‘‘The return of some sports codes gives us hope that there is room for football to also return.’’
Starting off with an academy based in Highfield which was called Startrack Academy, Zenda went on to join Harare Division Two A League.
And in the 2015 he bought a franchise.
Partnering, with Billy Shereni, another businessman involved in transport and logistics, who runs Shereni Transport, the duo went about trying to create a club that would play in the Premiership.
They worked with several seasoned coaches like Lloyd Chitembwe, Ikabort Masocha, Lloyd “MaBlanyo” Chigova and the late Onias Kadewere.
He also lectured at the Professional, Executive Development Skills College, as a part-time tutor in shipping, customs and freight.
“Along the way, I taught people like Farai Jere (the CAPS United president).”
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