Who said it’s a man’s world?

30 Oct, 2016 - 00:10 0 Views

The Sunday Mail

Brighton Zhawi
YVONNE MUBURE had the odds heavily stacked against her, being the only female player in this year’s Mashonaland Squash Racquets Association Winter League.It sucks but there is a general belief that women cannot compete with their male counterparts on the sporting field and Belgravia’s decision to call in Mubure as cover for the unavailable Mark Assaraf was viewed as a politially correct public relations stunt by some.

However, Mubure is having the proverbial last laugh after helping lead her side to the title with solid shows in the last two rounds of action against Highlands and former champions St John’s. Belgravia edged St John’s to the title on head-to-head. Both teams finished tied on 68 points after eight matches, but Belgravia took the crown courtesy of an 8-5 win over their rivals earlier in the season. Mubure, the number one ladies player in the country, said she was unfazed by playing against men.

“When I play I will be playing another player not a man,” she said. “I just focus on my game and when I win it’s because my game was better and when I lose it’s because the other player was better and never because he was of the opposite sex.”
While the champagne popping has barely ended, Mubure has already shifted focus back to the academic side of things after answering Belgravia’s SOS.

“My focus has always been on school but I had to come back and play after the captain called and begged me to come and fill in for Mark who was unavailable for the last two rounds of action. Normal service has resumed now, I am doing school full-time, studying for a degree in Tourism and Hospitality,” said Mubure.

Despite coming from a family that loves squash, Mubure initially had no interest in the sport. However, the need to burn some calories pushed her into picking up the racquet.

“I didn’t like playing squash, but started having some weight problems when I was in Form Three. I was gaining weight rapidly.
“My brother Ishmael, who now plays in The Netherlands, urged me to play squash to lose some weight. I trained for three months and then played in my first tournament, the Zimbabwe Junior Championships in 2010 at Chisipite Junior School, and came fifth. That made me realise I had serious potential,” recalls Mubure.

That potential blossomed as she went on to represent Zimbabwe at the African Junior Championships in South Africa in 2011.
In 2013 Mubure was invited by the Nigerian Squash Association to play at the Lagos Open where she came third.
Mubure – who has won the Zimbabwe Open, the Mashonaland Junior Championships – intends to play a role in ensuring that more females take to the squash court.

“I am doing some coaching at Chisipite and just love the sight of girls falling for the sport just like I did when my brother urged me to play. I love coaching and will continue doing so. We need more female players and am ready to work towards realising that goal,” she said.

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