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Shadreck Mlauzi

 Grace Chingoma Harare Bureau
MIGHTY Warriors coach Shadreck Mlauzi and his assistant Sithetheliwe “Kwinji 15” Sibanda added new feathers to their hats when they graduated as CafWomen’s football instructors in Cameroon last weekend.

The duo went to West African immediately after arriving from the Rio Olympic Games with the national team.

They have for the past week been undergoing an intense training conducted by Fifa and Caf top instructors.

The qualification means they can now be assigned duties by Caf to conduct training courses for local coaches or other football associations as instructed by the continental body.

The workshop, which was held at Caf technical centre, was conducted by Fifa instructors – Egyptian Mohammed Abdul Meneim, Burundian Dominique Niyonzima and South African Fran Hilton Smith.

Mlauzi was yesterday excited with his advancement.

“It was the first of its kind in Africa as they noticed that women’s football instructing is one area which needs improvement in Africa.

“I am quite happy to be an instructor, as you know I am a Physical Education teacher by profession and this is in line with my profession so I will make the most out of it. I am 36 years-old, still ambitious in the coaching career but I cannot continue to focus in one area,” Mlauzi said.

The former Inline Academy coach said they learnt technical and tactical aspects of the game and are now expected to practise as women’s instructors assisting fellow coaches in addition to their duties as national team coaches.

“We are now Caf employees and it was quite a good programme. The concern of Caf is that women’s football is not growing fast enough (in Africa) so there is need for people with experience and expertise in that area,” said Mlauzi.

The course was attended by 24 participants from the English-speaking countries as well as coaches of the eight teams that have qualified for the Africa Women Cup of Nations that would be hosted in the same country in November.

In coming up with the participants, Caf had to analyse the curriculum vitae of the coaches and their history in women’s football and some were rejected whilst others were accepted.

Mlauzi’s rich history with women’s football since his days at Inline Academy up to the national team post might have swung in his favour.

He is a holder of a Caf B licence and is also studying towards Bachelor of Science Honours in Physical Education.

The slim mentor is a teacher by profession and was supposed to graduate this year but had to postpone his project so that he concentrates on the Olympics preparations.

The Mighty Warriors lost all the three matches in their group which also had two-time World champions Germany, who eventually scooped their first gold medal at the Summer Games, bronze medalists Canada and Australia.