The Sunday Mail
JUST six months into his job as one of the assistant coaches at China’s Youth International Basketball Club, Tawanda Dozva is already dreaming of being the next Zimbabwe national team coach.
Dozva does not have much of a coaching history with his most high profile job being a stint as the Manicaland Under-17 coach.
However, the 31-year-old reckons he has learnt enough about basketball to make a difference on the national team bench.
“I am a well-devoted Zimbabwean from Manicaland who has come to understand that loyalty, effort, knowledge and practice are aspects that one should possess so as to achieve in life,” said Dozva in an interview last week from his Chinese base.
“I personally would love to coach my country if given the opportunity by the Basketball Union of Zimbabwe.
“The national team job was once held by my mentor Ted DeWolf and he also feels I can handle it. I am not claiming the job or making moves for it no, it’s just an expression of long cherished dream.”
Dozva is impressed with how the Chinese do their things and is hopeful of implementing some of these things in Zimbabwe.
“China is investing in basketball. Yao Ming , a former NBA star, is now the president of the Chinese Basketball Association (and) he is doing well to ensure that the sport grows.
“I would love to assist Zim players by organising some camps in the near future. I am also planning to set up a basketball academy in my home town of Mutare which will link players to international clubs,” he said.
Dozva did not have a glittering playing career either, a knee injury cutting short his time on the court but not his love for basketball.
“I once played for the Zim Under-20 team, coached by the late Ronald Garura, but got injured in Angola while on national duty in 2007,” he revealed.
“The injury happened at a time when I was about to head for a trial stint in Portugal and spelt the end of my career.
“With my playing days over before they even begun I decided to learn more about sport and now have a BA in Sports Management. Early next year or mid-next year, I will be in USA or Bahamas to do some coaching certification programmes.”
