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Paul Mundandi, Sports Correspondent
SASULA Secondary School will this weekend play host to the Chiefs’ Trophy that will see more than 36 teams fighting for honours in netball, boys and girls’ football.

The two-day sports fiesta organised by the Zvishavane-Mberengwa Sports Association (ZMSSA) will be held about 20km from Zvishavane on Saturday and Sunday.

Thirty-six teams from Mberengwa-Zvishavane rural have already confirmed participation in the tournament sponsored to the tune of $7,000.

It is an effort to harness the talent in rural areas.

“We want to identify the talent in the youths despite the financial challenges we face in sport. We expect to see better players like Joel Luphahla and Peter Ndlovu emerging from the rural set up. “All we need is for coaches to come and identify the talent which they must nurture and make sure that one day Zimbabwe will qualify for the Nations and World Cup finals,’ said Chief Mapanzure.

Chiefs in Mberengwa and Zvishavane mooted the idea of the tournament in an effort to prevent crime, drug abuse and the spread of HIV and Aids from unemployed youths in their areas.

Through ZMSSA, they sourced funds from local business people and mines in an effort to promote men and women’s football and netball which will see winners walking away with floating trophies and prizemoney.

“Winners and runners up will get football and netball kits plus cash. All participating teams will get two soccer balls and two netball balls each. We expect the community to come and support this worthy cause which will be held annually,” said Rufaro Nyoni, the patron of the association.

Chiefs Mazvihwa, Mafala, Mapanzure and Masunda are all part of the organising committee and attended a preparatory meeting at Caravan Park in Zvishavane yesterday. MP for Mberengwa West, Joram Gumbo is expected to be the guest of honour and will be joined by Midlands representatives of Zifa and Paul Gundani, the secretary-general of Footballers Union of Zimbabwe.