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From Ricky Zililo in Chivi
COPA Coca-Cola boys Under-16 and girls Under-17 football tournament sponsors Delta Beverages have reiterated their commitment to develop sport in the country.

Speaking at the launch of the 27th edition of the Copa Coca-Cola tournament at Chidyamakono High School in Chivi, Masvingo province, yesterday, Delta Beverages general manager Moses Gambiza said his company wants to “create a lasting sporting legacy”.

“Great sporting careers don’t start at a high level like the Afcon, World Cup or Olympics, but they begin in the backyards, side streets and school playing fields right across our country,” said Gambiza.

“Through this Copa Coca-Cola tournament, we want to nurture the values that are common in sport. This project (Copa Coca-Cola) seeks to create (a) permanent sporting legacy for Zimbabwe and offer young people more opportunities than never before to get involved in sport,” he said.

Delta Beverages have been heavily involved in sport development and are the main sponsors of the Premier Soccer League through their Castle Lager brand.

Bulawayo’s Gifford High and Montrose High schools will host the boys’ and girls’ Copa Coca-Cola national finals, which will run from July 17-19 in the City of Kings.

By virtue of being hosts, both schools have automatically qualified for the finals, meaning that four schools will represent the Bulawayo Metropolitan province.

Defending boys’ Under-16 champions Chemhanza High from Mashonaland East and Masvingo’s Chidyamakono High, who won last year’s girls’ Under-17 title, also automatically make it to the finals.

The National Association of Secondary Schools Heads (Nash) president John Madhuku applauded Coca-Cola for bankrolling the tournament that has seen a number of celebrated players using the competition as a springboard for their careers.

He said it was the biggest tournament in the country as it drew all the country’s secondary schools.

Madhuku said his association was on the lookout for age cheats, reiterating that they had introduced a stringent vetting process to pluck out cheats from spoiling the finals.

Nash is demanding that participants bring their Grade 7 result slips, birth certificates and pictures of the teams from cluster matches up to the provincial competitions.

Schools found using over-age players will be fined $500 per player.

Tsholotsho Football Club’s assistant gaffer Sithethelelwe Sibanda, who is also the first female Premiership coach, challenged schools to desist from age-cheating, saying such deceit affects development of sport.

She thanked Coca-Cola for including girls’ soccer in their tournament, which previously catered for boys only.

Besides Sibanda, football personalities that attended the launch were ex-Warriors players Harrington Shereni, Mighty Warriors coach Rosemary Mugadza, FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza, Young Warriors midfielder Walter Musona, Lloyd Hlahla, formerly with Masvingo United, and Mighty Warriors captain Felistus Muzongondi.

Draw

Boys

Group A: Bulawayo, Mashonaland Central, Manicaland

Group B: Chemhanza High School, Harare, Mashonaland West

Group C: Gifford High School, Midlands, Masvingo

Group D: Mashonaland East, Matabeleland South, Matabeleland North

Girls

Group A: Mashonaland East, Matabeleland South, Chidyamakono

Group B: Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Harare

Group C: Montrose High School, Midlands, Matabeleland North

Group D: Bulawayo, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central