The ManicaPost
Ray Bande : Senior Sports Reporter
A TOTAL of 22 male and female soccer as well as netball teams have confirmed participation in the inaugural edition of the much anticipated Chipinge Community Cup.Interestingly, corporates, Old Mutual and Cabs Holdings have chipped in with assistance ahead of the potentially exciting tournament. The Chipinge Community Cup, an ambitious project meant to ultimately bring top-flight football to the farming town of Chipinge by the end of 2018, has been set for October 15 in the sprawling high-density suburb of Gaza.
New Year’s Gift, Ratelshook, AFM, Chipinge Junior, Rising Stars, Flea Market, E Rovers, Mussa Warriors FC, Ausundi, Gabana, Makandi Chipinge Holdings, Coffee Research Eagles, FC Steri, Gaza High, Clearwater, Tongogara, Mcdom FC and Checheche United make up the list of teams that will take part in football for men.
In ladies’ soccer, only two teams — Gaza High FC and Kubatana FC — have confirmed participation, while Chipinge Hospital, Super Eagles and Mcdom will battle for supremacy in netball. Running under the auspices of Chipinge Development Initiative Trust, itself a brainchild of youthful Harare-based banker, Simba Mwaingeni, the Chipinge Community Cup will see male and female soccer teams and netball teams battling it out at three venues that include Gaza Stadium, Gaza High and Matione Primary School.
In an interview, Mwaingeni confirmed that the teams had accepted conditions set for the tournament. He said prize money for the winners would be announced soon.
“We are happy with the response that we got from all the teams that tendered their affiliation forms from the time we announced this initiative. We were actually surprised by the enthusiasm that the teams showed. It is now upon us as the organising committee to put final touches on the preparations. We are also glad that our preparations are at an advanced stage. As we speak all medals and trophies are in place as well as all the marketing material.
“Going forward, we will soon be announcing the monetary prizes for winning participants,” said Mwaingeni.
Apart from medals and trophies for winners, The Chipinge Community Cup will also see individual awards to best performers that include goalkeeper of the tournament, player of the tournament, the Golden Boot, most promising player, coach of the tournament and a lifetime awards for Chipinge sports icons. Mwaingeni reiterated that the initiative is meant to be one of the many ways they have lined up to help develop the marginalised area of Chipinge District.
“It goes without saying that Chipinge has been lagging behind in terms of development.
“This is what we think as people who grew up in that area we have a responsibility to play our part in developing it. We actually have a number of initiatives that we will soon roll out to ensure that we help change the face of Chipinge,” he added.
