The ManicaPost
AS Zimbabweans, we love to play games and win.
It brings us together.
There has been much talk about soccer, hockey and cricket during the past week — well deserved — in the media, street corners and village paths.
Even President Mnangagwa took to Twitter last week to wish the national soccer team well in their African Nations Cup (AFCON) assignment.
Unfortunately, heartbreaks were sustained when the Warriors lost to underdogs, Malawi, in the AFCON battle for supremacy.
The national soccer team however went on to restore the country’s pride when they faced Guinea on Tuesday.
The recent developments put us in a position where we have to introspect and analyse the level of investments going into sport.
No doubt in the last five years or so, thanks to a little more initiative by Government and corporates, large sums of money are being spent to set up leagues and academies for football.
Dozens of sportspersons have been adopted by different companies via sponsorships.
Unfortunately, in games like tennis and swimming where we have had champions in the past, or the hockey where we are currently enjoying victory, there is sporadic interest.
There are awards and training opportunities for sure, but all too limited.
Consequently our performance at national level has remained abysmal.
We have seen the breathtaking performances of Kirsty Coventry and now Donata Katai in swimming, the pacesetting Zimbabwe ladies hockey team, the expeditions of Byron, Wayne and Cara Black in tennis, Charles Manyuchi in boxing, and the rise of young Trust Makamidzani on the golf course, among many others.
But despite this testimony of great talent, for millions of young Zimbabweans, their parents and their teachers; sport still remains extra-curricular.
As Zimbabwe has adopted Education 5.0, there is a mandatory Physical Education class where half-trained instructors go through routine basic fitness exercises.
Usually, the same Mathematics or English teacher switches the suit for the sports attire and becomes the sports coach.
Under this set up, a few hundred students get noticed and are sent to inter-school games, and even fewer to state-level tournaments.
Thankfully at this level, there are professionally-trained coaches who become mentors to the budding sports women and men.
The ecosystem of our national sports, therefore, has a long way to go.
In addition, while Sakubva Stadium is the only facility that can host top-flight league matches in Manicaland, it is a far cry from its international counterparts.
We also have a few dozen swimming pools and even lesser facilities for other sports, especially hockey.
More often than not, there is not even a football to kick around or a hockey ball to scoop.
If we do not have suitable stadia and equipment for the games, how then can we excel as a province, let alone as a nation?
Fortunately, Government has stepped up to rectify this.
Sport academies for different disciplines are now starting to emerge and show promise.
One can only hope that results will follow soon.
The challenge that remains is that most children do not have supportive parents who are willing to encourage them to join these academies.
This time though, there has been a lot more media coverage of sports and this obviously revs up the enthusiasm among children and their parents.
Hopefully this will see many school children considering taking up careers in sport.
We have to aim higher.
Spend more in sport and nurture the national talent more.
We have to ensure that every district gives us at least one champion who can get us the awards at international level.
Government and cooperates have to increase their expenditure in the various sport disciplines.
Parents must encourage the budding champions to come out of their comfort zones.
Every single child must be given an opportunity to shine; not only in their studies, but in sport too.
