The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
PLANS are underway to resume and also cover up for lost time in volleyball, which had been put on ice just like many other sporting genres owing to the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.
The country’s volleyball association has been working behind the scenes to draft comprehensive training programmes once approval for resumption of volleyball is granted.
Volleyball Association of Zimbabwe president, Mxolisi Ndlovu, said the plans from the international federation protocols for resumption of volleyball are in place.
“Our team working on local protocols is at an advanced stage of producing such protocols. In terms of programmes, we have a calendar of events ready and what is now pending is the application for resumption from the Sports and Recreation Commission,” said Ndlovu.
He said the inactivity that came with Covid-19 lockdown regulations resulted in a regression in the development of the game worldwide.
“We have suffered a knock globally. Administration has not suffered much, but court of play and athletes’ development has suffered. There is no doubt about that.
“It is very difficult to measure the extent of regression the game has suffered until we resume competitions. At that point real losses can be measured. Players want to play but we all need to be careful and abide by the laws of the country as we fight the pandemic,” Ndlovu said.
He said capacity building programmes are in place, adding that these will be rolled out as soon as approval to resumption is granted.
“Our lined up programmes could not take place due to Covid-19. However, as soon as approval is granted to resume, these will be rolled out immediately,” he said.
In the past, lack of sponsorship has affected the smooth running of the game across the country despite the abundance of local talent.
In the province, the Manicaland Volleyball Association (MANVA) has had challenges in running its league and its tournaments owing to the absence of corporate partnership.
This has hugely disadvantaged talented players who have turned out for the different age group national teams.
MANVA ran a highly competitive and entertaining provincial volleyball league where ZRP Mutare, Mutare Poly, Mutare Boys and Girls High Schools as well as Rusape based Hard Hitters were some of the forces to reckon with.
Chitakatira, Support Unit, Hartzel and Africa University also used to participate in the local league.
