The Sunday Mail
WHAT began as a social pastime barely two years ago has become a serious soccer project that could transform the fortunes of scores of youths at New Life Pentecostal Church.
New Life Football Academy was born in 2014 as a brainchild of Apostle Benjamin Joseph Murata and as part of a “revelation” made to him then.
It has outgrown expectations and is now contesting in the Zifa Division Two League — two rungs behind the elite Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.
New Life Academy has several exciting players, including ‘keeper Elton Nechiware, attacking linkman Chris Kuletu and Zivai Mpuma, who dazzles on the right flank.
They have played Zimbabwean soccer giants Dynamos and Caps United in friendly matches and some of their players are now on the radar of premier league clubs.
We caught up with Apostle Murata, the founder of New Life Pentecostal Church, which has branches in Harare, Buhera, Murewa and Seke rural areas.
“The idea of a football club came to me as a revelation based on the notion that there are gifts and talents within the church. I also found out that youths are difficult to convert and to that end I saw football as another means of reaching out to the young ones,” said Apostle Murata.
“Paul says do what the Romans do when you are in Rome, to win souls you have to be where the youths are and providing them with what they want. I am motivated by the need to promote youths within the church and at the same time attract those outside the church. The idea is that we promote talent but at the same time the players should be aware there is a God above who is taking care of all us.”
Apostle Murata bankrolls the project and his vision is to see New Life Football Academy playing in the premier league “in the not too distant future”.
“With God everything is possible, the vision is to gain promotion into Division One then the top flight but we need to invest a lot of funds into that ambition. Our youths should have a brighter future, what we want is a complete footballer, one who has the football skill but at the same time respects the Lord Jesus.
“Because God will take care of your career so that you excel to the highest level, earn a lucrative foreign contract and put food on the table,” said Apostle Murata. Also taking fellowship and sport to a next level is the Apostolic Faith Mission of Zimbabwe, where employment creation through sport has become a new phenomenon.
“We are trying to take our fellowship within AFM to the next level, we are also trying to create employment for our talented youngsters by connecting them to Premier Soccer League and Division One teams,” said Reverend Augustine Bura of Harare West.
The AFM Harare West Provincial League is one of the most vibrant, with netball and soccer the most contested.
Living Word Queens are dominating the netball league while Shalom Centre of Westlea are breathing down their necks.
Meanwhile, the Greater Harare Overseer’s Cup winners Cup was scheduled for Ellis Robbins High yesterday.
The provincial select clash, where three teams from each of the AFM Harare provinces participate, will be held on September 10.
Former premier league coaches Droment Chirova and Philip Mbofana will play for the AFM Legends Select sides.
We invite all religious groups to contact Langton Nyakwenda on +263773298522 or at [email protected] with their sports news
