The Sunday Mail
Veronica Gwaze
BENEATH the lethal athlete that Harare City volleyball player Charles Nyamasve has become lies a frustrated man who feels robbed of everything that made his life colourful.
The deadly right side hitter, who sometimes play as an opposite hitter, is a lone figure who has been robbed by death on three occasions.
After losing his father at the age of five, his mother at 13 and his only sibling in 2018, the volleyball court has become the only place the 26-year old can vent out his frustrations.
“I am frustrated and the volleyball court is helping me to heal.
“It is like I lost a part of me. Since then, my life has never been the same,” said Nyamasve.
Despite proving to be one of the Citizens most trusted man at the October Volleyball National League championships in Bulawayo recently, Nyamasve wishes his family had been there to watch.
“My parents died a little too early, it was before I could make them proud.”
When he fell in love with volleyball during his days at Vimbai Primary school in Norton, Nyamasve had to abandon athletics for the court. In 2005, he got a Churchill High School scholarship.
As he was taking this major step, his mother passed away that same year.
Nyamasve vividly recalls how her death devastated both him and his brother Lovemore.
“Losing both parents was the scariest thing we had ever gone through. We were both at that age where we needed parental care and guidance.
“That moment, my brother and I became closer, being the only family left. We were very young, but despite all the challenges we stood by each other.
“We became best friends. As Lovemore was older than me, he turned out to be my fountain of hope, life adviser and number one fan.”
During his days at Churchill, Nyamasve signed for his first club — Bulldogs.
He then moved to Hoax.
Later, he joined Support Unit and was employed as a Police Officer.
As fate would have it, in 2018 death revisited the Nyamasve family, this time taking away Lovemore to leave the volleyball player all alone.
“Although I have to act tough out there, deep down the scars are still fresh.
“When I need advice, he is the one who first comes into my mind.
“I miss him. Sometimes I wish that I could talk to him even for a minute and tell him how unbearable life has been in his absence.
If only l could see him in my dreams at least,” he said with sadness in his eyes.
Early this year, Nyamasve found a new home at Harare City.
He has helped his club to make waves in the volleyball league. They are second on the log standings behind University of Zimbabwe Wolves.
The Citizens coach Itsanang Abu-Basutu spoke highly of Nyamasve.
With more than 20 accolades to his name and more than 50 team awards, Abu-Basutu said Nyamasve is a valuable asset to the team.
“It feels good being a coach and watching a player doing exactly what you had in mind when you signed him.
“He is everything we needed on the team and we have been banking on him in hard times. He has proved to be the right man for the job,” Abu-Basutu said.
Nyamasve’s workday starts at 6.30am when he reports for work at Harare Central Police station.
After knocking off at 2pm, he hits the gym. However, he only has four hours of training per week.
Ahead of the Zone Six volleyball games slated for Malawi in December, Nyamasve is looking forward to making an impact for his team, with his sights set on clinching the title.
