The Sunday Mail
Brighton Zhawi
UZ Wolves is expected to carry the underdog tag when the local champions travel to Egypt for the Volleyball Africa Club Championships next week month. Wolves has roped in 18 year-old Churchill school pupil Tinashe Ndavazocheva for their second trip to the competition, slated for March 31- April 13. The upper six student, Ndavazocheva is set to miss the last week of school, but remains unfazed at the prospects of facing some of the continent’s top nations.
“I am over-exhilarated to be part of the UZ team, it has been my wish to play along these guys who I regard as some of my role models,” he said.
“It’s a privilege and honour to be able to travel and learn from them.”
Studying Mathematics, Technical Graphics and Geography, the 1,98m Bulldogs captain and school prefect is a smart boy who has little challenge balancing school and sport.
“It is not a challenge so far,” said the Masvingo born and bred boy who is also a national U21 beach volleyball player.
“My training sessions are on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3pm-5pm and the rest of my time is dedicated to studying since this is my final year in high school. The acquisition of more skills, so as to improve my play, is what I am most looking forward to,” he said.
Ndavazocheva is with the Aaron Mutede (AM) Academy who are pleased to have their player signed to one of the country’s top teams for a continental tournament.
“It’s an opportunity for the young man to showcase his talent,” said Mutede.
“This will be a good start for his volleyball career, and it is going to be an eye opener for him. We hope he continues to work hard, to achieve his goal of using volleyball as a tool to further his studies after high school, and wish him the best.”
The team is expected to leave on March 28.
“The boy is talented and is one of the best talents on the scene at the moment,” UZ Wolves coach Munya Mavima said.
“Roping him in was driven by our strategy to expose some of these young players to the highest level of volleyball and help develop them more,” he said
