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Lovemore Dube Senior Sports Editor
THE chief executive officer of the Heath Streak Multi Sports Academy, Joseph Rego yesterday achieved a milestone of 100 schools under their cricket development initiative.Bulawayo’s Mgiqika Primary School became the 100th institution.

The sports marketing maestro had two weeks ago reached the 91-school mark which he dedicated to President Mugabe, a keen cricket enthusiast.

“When I visited the 91st school I dedicated the record breaking initiative for schools to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe Robert Gabriel Mugabe as a birthday gift. He is also the Patron of Zimbabwe Cricket, after Zimbabwe became independent.

Cricket civilises people and creates good gentlemen. I want everyone to play cricket in Zimbabwe, I want ours to be a nation of gentlemen,” said Rego who added that had coincided with the President’s 91st birthday celebrations.

“This is certainly a record of some sort for us. We never thought we would have so many schools coming on board so soon. It is work in progress and we are working flat out to get to as many as 200 schools in the region and eventually our effort should spread to all over the country,” said Rego in an interview yesterday morning after the Mgiqika function where the school was given cricket equipment presented by the chairman Elifasi Mashaba.

Also in attendance to serve as an inspiration to kids was national team bowler Christopher Mpofu.

Rego, a sports management and entertainment genius, visited 100 primary and secondary schools with his chief administrator Samu Nkiwane in 30 days.

“Through this we have touched the hearts of thousands of school children promising them cricket equipment and development through a novel initiative we launched,” he said.

Rego’s innovative project offers schools selling a thousand promotional raffle tickets costing $1 branded cricket equipment worth $1,000 and and specialised cricket coaching clinics at their multi sports academy conducted by dedicated and qualified coaches.

“We want to revolutionise the game of cricket in Zimbabwe, identifying and nurturing talent of the highest level and producing cricket stars of note. The revenue generated by this project is ploughed back into the school in the form of cricket equipment and development making it affordable and possible for every school to enjoy the game of cricket which they desire so much to play in their schools.

“The programme is more of a continuation of our developmental drive unaccomplished by others, ensuring that the sport is made affordable to every school in the region. I want our children to understand that cricket is a universal sport that should be enjoyed by everyone barring caste, colour and creed,” said an ecstatic Rego.

He challenged children to take sport seriously as it is an industry that offers a lot of opportunities.

“In today’s world sport also gets you jobs like education. You do not need to be only a sports star and earn and income, you could also make a living through sport by being a sports teacher, umpire, score marker and groundsman,” he said.

On May 25, 150 schools will walk away with branded cricket equipment at an event to mark the first anniversary celebrations of the Heath Streak Multi-Sports Academy, the brainchild of Indian born sports management guru Rego.

He also announced the launch of the “Raj Modi T20 Africa Cup” a cricket extravaganza for school children to be held on Africa Day.

“The tournament will bear a carnival look with over 150 schools invited to the celebrations. Cricket equipment would be distributed to over 100 schools participating in the promotion and for parents and communities supporting schools by buying promotional coupons from children, a lucky draw will be held with one lucky winner walking away with a car and other lucky winners with cricket kit valued at $10,000,” he said.

Addressing a gathering of over 2,400 students and staff of the Mgiqika, he hailed the efforts of business tycoon and philanthropist Raj Modi who has been instrumental in developing cricket in the province.

“Bulawayo would not have seen a world class multi-sports academy had it not been for the generous contribution from Raj Modi,” said Rego.

He hailed government efforts in trying to develop sport countrywide with the President and Minister of Sport, Andrew Langa getting special mention.

Rego said the Africa Union Sports Association Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games were an example of the work done by Minister Langa and the government. He assured schools that the revenue generated by the sale of promotional raffle tickets for the first anniversary celebrations would be ploughed back into the schools in the form of cricket equipment and development.

“My objective is to ensure that each and every school in this country plays cricket and equipment is made affordable to schools by my initiative. Cricket no longer bears the elite tag and is a game that should be enjoyed by all children,” he said.

The headmistress of Mgiqika, Sithembile Phiri said: “We are so delighted to be part of the 100 schools.”

Mashaba said it was the academy’s vision to identify cricket talent at an early stage.

“We want to catch them young, we want them to appreciate cricket at an early age and become the stars of the future. This is where we want to show the world that this is where we start,” he said.