The ManicaPost
Ray Bande Senior Sports Reporter —
THE second edition of the exciting Mai Hondo Memorial Junior Football Tournament will get underway at various venues across Sakubva during the first weekend of next month.
This year’s tournament runs under the theme: “Let’s give the youth a kicking chance”. Sakubva Stadium, Sports Oval, Sakubva Primary School, Chisamba Ground and Mutanda Primary School are the five venues that will play host to the preliminary rounds of the tournament as well as the final match.
Organisers of the tournament confirmed that preparations are at an advanced stage.
“December 3 and 4 are the days that we will have 2016 edition of the tournament. This is the second year running we are hosting the event. In fact, December 3 we will have the preliminary rounds and then December 4 the semi-finals and finals.
We hope to make this a vehicle for community sponsorship of grassroots soccer, youth development and a platform for promoting positive and responsible behaviour among youths.
“The tournament is sponsored by the Mutsaka family and other well-wishers who are coming up with prizes for outstanding players. We like to broaden this support base and reach out to more kids with more interventions.
Most prizes will be in the form of sports equipment and school fees.
“Approximately 320 Under-15 boys from 16 teams from Chikanga, Sakubva, Hobhouse and Dangamvura high-density suburbs of Mutare will be taking part. We are still looking at the possibility of having some girls soccer teams as well,” reads part of the statement by the sponsors.
The tournament was organised under the auspices of Mutare ZIFA Junior League. An organising committee comprising Mutare Junior League officials, the Mutsaka family, well-wishers and former soccer players run the tournament.
The organisers explained the importance of promoting junior football and their aim in sponsoring this annual tournament.
“Sport, particularly soccer is a congregating factor for youths especially here in Zimbabwe. Participating in sport fosters a sense of team and well-being within youths.
It also instils discipline in youths in terms of keeping to training regimes, setting targets and goals as well as competing fairly to achieve goals.
“These are values youths will need in their current and future lives. The tournament hopes to support the building of these values through soccer.
As youths get into adolescence, HIV and sexual reproductive health issues become very pertinent. Knowledge of reproductive health issues and HIV prevention is important for youth as they make the transition into adulthood.
“The tournament presents a captive target audience for spreading messages on such issues and other important issues such as prevention of drug and alcohol abuse and career guidance.
The tournament provides an opportunity for youth focused organisations to come along and spread these messages through various forms to both participants and spectators of the games.
“Junior football is the cradle of soccer in Zimbabwe. Junior leagues are, however, poorly supported. Established business and teams concentrate on senior soccer team sponsorship. Without proper junior league development, Zimbabwe will continue lagging behind at senior level.
“Supporting junior football is akin to long term investment in soccer and human capital development. Currently few corporates within Mutare support junior team or the junior league in any way.
The junior league and soccer teams are run by dedicated and passionate community coaches and owners who themselves face many resource constraints.
“The current leagues run solely on the passion of these dedicated men and women. The tournament will support the development of junior soccer through giving youngsters the opportunity to showcase their skills and compete for prizes.
Many current and former Warriors and premier league players have come through the junior ranks of Mutare Junior Football League,” reads part of the statement by the sponsors.
