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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Volleyball Association (ZVA) is planning to reduce the number of teams competing in the national league from 16 to 12 to make it more competitive.

Brian Manuel, ZVA vice-president, said the national association’s executive will meet in Harare tomorrow to finalise on the number of teams that will participate in the league that starts on April 22.

“We’re meeting in Harare to plan for the national league play-offs, as we hope to reduce the number of clubs from 16 to maybe 12 or even eight, which will be a manageable number. The major reason is that we want to have a competitive league and we also want to finish our season on time. Last year we nearly missed the deadline of sending or registering teams for the Zone VI Club Championships after finishing late,” said Manuel.

Harare teams dominated last year’s national league, with only four out of 16 clubs coming from outside the capital.

Out of Harare teams that were in the league were Bulawayo’s Spartans, Midlands State University, Chinhoyi University of Technology and Great Zimbabwe University.

Manuel said only Naba and Support Unit have been exempt from the play-offs to be held next week.

“Last year we invited a number of teams from outside Harare for the national league and they turned down the offer, preferring to compete in their provinces and ZVA organised competitions. Hopefully this time around teams will come forward for the national league play-offs, where between six and 10 teams will join Naba and Support Unit for the topflight,” Manuel said.

@ZililoR