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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIFA has started the hunt for volunteers for the forthcoming Cosafa Women Championship to be held in Bulawayo.

The championship will run from September 13-24 and the national association wants volunteers who will provide services in seven different categories.

In a statement, Zifa spokesperson Xolisani Gwesela said interested persons must be resident in and around Bulawayo, and also encouraged women to apply as the association “takes pride in the emancipation of women”.

“Zifa is looking for men and women between the ages of 18-35 years, who are interested in becoming volunteers during the Cosafa Women’s Championship in Bulawayo.

“Candidates must have the ability to communicate effectively in English and should be team players. Knowledge of French and Portuguese and previous volunteering experience will be an added advantage,” reads Gwesela’s statement.

Volunteers will provide services in ceremonies, doping control, crowd control, media, translation, protocol as well as various tasks assigned to them by the organisers.

According to the National Sport and Recreation Policy, volunteers are a strategic resource for sport and recreation programmes that shall be actively mobilised.

“Sport and recreation relies on volunteers in organising community based programmes and hosting local and international events,” reads the recently adopted policy.

The last Cosafa Women’s Championship was held in Harare in 2011 and the Mighty Warriors are the defending champions having beaten South Africa’s Banyana Banyana 1-0.

Banyana Banyana were seeking to lift the cup for the fourth time on the trot, but found a stubborn Mighty Warriors side that was backed by a vociferous home crowd.

Former Mighty Warriors’ star player Sithethelelwe “Kwinji 15” Sibanda was recently appointed head coach of the senior women’s side, taking over from Shadreck Mlauzi.

She will be assisted by Paddington Chinyananya and former Hwange assistant coach Mebelo Njekwa, with legendary goalkeeper Peter Nkomo as the goalkeepers’ coach and Tavaka Gumbo as technical advisor.

Starved of international football, the Bulawayo community will surely have an overdose of top notch women’s football action for two weeks, with matches at Barbourfields and Luveve stadiums respectively.

@skhumoyo2000