Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
INSPIRE Athletics Academy, once changed the sporting culture of young boys and girls in the Marange community, no wonder why St Noah College became a force to reckon with in different sporting disciplines during high school competitions in the province.
Known for other things other than sport, boys and girls in Marange community had embraced the professional tutorials of Inspire Academy.
Alas, the transferring of one of the Inspire Athletics Academy administrators, Teererai Matibini from Marange to Mutare left a gap that has seen standards marginally plummeting. Matibini said: “When we worked with the Marange community, the response was just amazing, I tell you. Yes, there are still qualified coaches we are working with there, but I can admit that it is no longer what it used to be.
“The boys and girls in the area loved it. Locals would fill up the terraces during competitions, even at inter-house competitions. Some school leavers also joined the academy. I am glad to say the school and responsible authorities gave us tremendous support that we even travelled to Harare for competitions.”
The academy started in 2015 at St Noah College in Bocha, Marange.
It was a huge milestone for the community to introduce serious sporting activities to the Johanne Marange community as the introduction of long term athlete development at the school transformed it into a power house in various sporting disciplines.
Its learners even participated in the Confederation of Southern African Schools Sports Association competitions.
Be that as may, Inspire Athletics Academy is now benefiting boys and girls in Mutare urban, now that it is based at Chancellor Junior School.
“We are also working with both private and Government schools, mainly in Mutare. Inspire Athletics Academy is a multi-sports academy, which is working towards Government’s goal of Education 5.0, dealing with innovation, research and self-reliance.
“We train sporting disciplines such as athletics, both track and field events, basketball, handball and swimming. We are working with athletes throughout Manicaland, from primary school up to university, even though there is now a bias towards Mutare, given our location.
“This December holiday we are preparing our athletes for next early next year’s competitions. To get the job done, Inspire Athletics Academy has managed to lure professional trainers.
“We have highly qualified coaches and administrators. Some of the coaches are former national team athletes like Augustine Mberi (rugby), Allen Mandeya (handball) and Titus Apitala. The latter is now participating in mountaineering and comrades marathon. In basketball, we have national coach, Tonderai Shasha. We are targeting to use a Long Term Athletes Development programme. Our main objective is athletes-centred.
“We strive to balance school and sports because we have learnt that for learners to acquire sports scholarships, they need to balance both. We have kids who have participated at the highest level locally and even internationally,” he said.
