The Sunday Mail
THE Young Warriors’ latest success can be traced to the long-standing policy of twinning schools with professional football clubs.
Government’s warming up to the Fifa Goal Project saw a number of high schools like Churchill, Marlborough, Mzilikazi, Prince Edward and Pamushana partnering with Premier Soccer League clubs.
The results have been phenomenal.
All the players in coach Kallisto Pasuwa’s squad are products of the initiative.
Renowned junior football coach Bheki Nyoni says the next step is for the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to “declare that football be played throughout the year in schools”.
“The partnership between schools and clubs has been integral in football development in the country. Historically we saw players like Peter Ndlovu, Alois Bunjira and Stewart Murisa benefiting from this system.
“Recently we have seen players like Wisdom Mutasa, Tatenda Mukuruva, Simba Sithole (now Nhivi), Artwell Mukandi and Gabriel Nyoni, among others, coming through the Fifa Goal project initiative.
“The biggest advantage of this programme is that players are exposed to advanced coaching techniques at an early stage because FIFA donated training equipment to these schools. It is good that the system has spread over to other rural-based schools like Chemhanza, Gutu and Dewure,” said Nyoni.
Meanwhile, the BN Academy school holiday soccer coaching clinics started last week at Belgravia Sports Club with over 60 boys being shown the ropes by Nyoni, former Dynamos manager Clayton Munemo and the former Caps United pair of Steve Chikodzi and Antony Vheriwa.
“The second clinic resumes on Monday (tomorrow) and we expect an even bigger number to attend as the guys gear up for the school football season,” said Nyoni.
