Sports / Soccer
Mzingwane to host Copa Coca-Cola silver jubilee tourney
02 Jun 2013 at 05:56hrs | Views
Mzingwane High School in Matabeleland South will this year host the launch of the US$150 000 worth COPA Coca-Cola silver jubilee tournament scheduled for next Friday.
Running under the theme Crazy for Good with Soccer, the tournament, which is run in partnership with the National Association of Secondary Heads, kicks off on a zonal basis with winners progressing to the district level culminating into the provincial and eventually national finals.
The national finals will be hosted by Mutare in July. Mzingwane High School are the defending champions in the Under 16 boys category after dismissing Pamushana High School of Masvingo 1-0 last year while Vainona High overpowered Chidyamakono High to take the mantle in the girls Under 17 division.
The Coca Cola sponsorship is agreeably the richest schools sports sponsorship across all sports in the country and it covers administrative costs of the tournament and prizes for schools, individuals and a two week camp to South Africa. Last year six of the Mzingwane boys' team and their coach together with six other select players went for the camp in South Africa.
Once known as the Coca Cola/Nash Soccer tournament, the event is now in its 25th edition having been launched in 1989. With a regional competition involving select teams from Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi having been introduced in 2000, the success of the tournament has been evident in identifying talent producing players like Peter Ndlovu, Cephas Chimedza, Ovidy Karuru, Alois Bunjira, Johannes Ngodzo, Washington Arubi, Harlington Shereni, and Knowledge Musona among others.
The NASH head, Albert Macheka said the tournament continues to churn out talented players, some of whom proceed to play professional football abroad.
"Coca Cola has done a lot in terms of providing enriching experiences for our children for instance they have managed to take them to places like Victoria Falls as well as the United Kingdom. In 2011 the boys were trained by Chelsea coaches as well as last year in Pretoria. So we indeed are grateful to this partnership," Macheka said.
Nash head for Matabeleland South, Paulos Ncube castigated those who bring over-aged players to the tournament while he also urged Zifa to take up a greater responsibility in developing grassroots football.
"I think there is a level of lack of appreciation on our part; we have somehow dampened the spirit by bringing over-aged players to the tournament which is the worst part. There has also been a lack of support from Zifa whom we would want to see playing a direct role in talent identification and development. I believe projects like the Fifa goal project are meant to develop such talent but we have not seen the support, the real input from Zifa," Ncube said.
Running under the theme Crazy for Good with Soccer, the tournament, which is run in partnership with the National Association of Secondary Heads, kicks off on a zonal basis with winners progressing to the district level culminating into the provincial and eventually national finals.
The national finals will be hosted by Mutare in July. Mzingwane High School are the defending champions in the Under 16 boys category after dismissing Pamushana High School of Masvingo 1-0 last year while Vainona High overpowered Chidyamakono High to take the mantle in the girls Under 17 division.
The Coca Cola sponsorship is agreeably the richest schools sports sponsorship across all sports in the country and it covers administrative costs of the tournament and prizes for schools, individuals and a two week camp to South Africa. Last year six of the Mzingwane boys' team and their coach together with six other select players went for the camp in South Africa.
Once known as the Coca Cola/Nash Soccer tournament, the event is now in its 25th edition having been launched in 1989. With a regional competition involving select teams from Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi having been introduced in 2000, the success of the tournament has been evident in identifying talent producing players like Peter Ndlovu, Cephas Chimedza, Ovidy Karuru, Alois Bunjira, Johannes Ngodzo, Washington Arubi, Harlington Shereni, and Knowledge Musona among others.
The NASH head, Albert Macheka said the tournament continues to churn out talented players, some of whom proceed to play professional football abroad.
"Coca Cola has done a lot in terms of providing enriching experiences for our children for instance they have managed to take them to places like Victoria Falls as well as the United Kingdom. In 2011 the boys were trained by Chelsea coaches as well as last year in Pretoria. So we indeed are grateful to this partnership," Macheka said.
Nash head for Matabeleland South, Paulos Ncube castigated those who bring over-aged players to the tournament while he also urged Zifa to take up a greater responsibility in developing grassroots football.
"I think there is a level of lack of appreciation on our part; we have somehow dampened the spirit by bringing over-aged players to the tournament which is the worst part. There has also been a lack of support from Zifa whom we would want to see playing a direct role in talent identification and development. I believe projects like the Fifa goal project are meant to develop such talent but we have not seen the support, the real input from Zifa," Ncube said.
Source - herald
