Minister hails Tsholotsho FC

THE government and women's football leadership has hailed Tsholotsho Football Club for recognising females as capable leaders in sport.

Promoted into the elite Castle Lager Premier Soccer League this season, the Matabeleland North based outfit not only brought Premiership football to the usually sleepy growth point, but also brought three football crazy women into the limelight, where they will now rub shoulders with some of the best football talents in the land.

Secretary-general, Melody Ndlovu and medic Sibusisiwe Mutunzi might have been with the team in its formative years in the lower leagues but the team has stuck with them as it makes historic entry into the elite league.

Last month, Iziqholo zeZhwane roped in Caf A licence holder Sithethelelwe "Kwinji 15" Sibanda as the first assistant coach to Lizwe Sweswe.

Deputy Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Thabeth Kanengoni-Malinga said Tsholotsho's move will go a long way in exorcising the stigma that women cannot be in sports leadership.

"That's a very positive move by Tsholotsho, it really makes us proud both as women and government. Women have been sidelined for a long time yet they can probably do an even better job. People have held negative opinions about women but what has been done by Tsholotsho is proof to the contrary," said the Deputy Minister.

She encouraged women in sport to support each other and fight for one another instead of against each other.

"We know that they are some women who have a habit of teaming up with men in their fight against other women in sport, let that stop forthwith. I really want to say congratulations to the three cadres of women in football and to Tsholotsho FC management. It's a good example which we hope will be emulated by institutions like Zifa and Fifa," said Deputy Minister Kanengoni-Malinga.

She challenged the corporate world to channel more money into women's sport development.

"As government we are already committed into doing that," she said.

Zimbabwe women's football boss Miriam Sibanda said the former Mighty Warriors midfielder's appointment was proof enough that women can perform the same duties as their male counterparts if given an opportunity.

The Njube-bred Kwinji 15 penned a three- year contract with the Zhwane boys last month that will keep her in Tsholotsho until 2017.

She is also the Zimbabwe Young Mighty Warriors' head coach although she got a rude awakening in her first fulltime job during the December African Union Sports Council Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games. In the three games played, the Young Mighty Warriors drew 1-1 with Botswana, beat Namibia 2-1 before being brought back to mother earth by South Africa who pummelled them 5-0.

"We're extremely excited as women and secondly as the leadership of women's football in this country that one of us has finally won some recognition in the clearly male dominated field. It's proof that women can be up to task even in the male dominated field," said Sibanda.

She said their hope was that the experience set to be gained by Kwinji 15, a holder of a Caf A licence and a Germany B licence badges, will one day help uplift the standard of women football in Zimbabwe.

"Obviously, she will gain a lot of experience there and our hope is that she will come back and impart this invaluable knowledge from the Premier Soccer League," said Sibanda.

In the absence of Sweswe, Kwinji 15 has been working with Master Ngwenya and Farai Sibanda has been taking care of the goalkeepers.