By Idrissa Manganda and Evans Dakwa
The Zimbabwe Football Association has urged more women to challenge themselves and take up soccer coaching beginning at grassroot level, going up in the male dominated field.
Speaking on the sidelines of a ZIFA level 1 coaching clinic , Mr Mate ,the association’s central region chairman, made a clarion call for females to come and join the male dominated discipline not only to debunk domination but grow women’s football in the country.
“I applaud Chaplin high for sending their female teachers for this course, this will go a long way to the football world, FIFA is advocating for more female coaches as it will be easy for them to coach their female counterparts. I urge female participants partaking in this course to even coach male teams,”he said.
With education being one of the primary drivers of development and a vital tool for promoting gender equality, Zifa central region is pushing to incorporate more women in their courses. Rejoice Moyo a coach educator, former referee, match commissioner echoed Mate’s sentiments.
“‘I would like to thank Chaplin high for their gesture in support of the girl child in the region by sending two of their female teachers who are currently coaching girls soccer,”said Moyo.
Some of the female trainees at the level one course were beaming with confidence with bigger dreams and aspirations in the game of football.
“My dream is to coach the Zimbabwe male national team,’ said Kudzai Maphosa, a female trainee at the course.
“I encourage other females out there to attend these coaching courses and learn how to coach football, I know it’s a male dominated job but it has equal opportunities for us ,said Kimberly Ruwaya who was one of the outstanding trainees at the course held at Chaplin High School
Though the course was targeting people that are coaching in the grassroots level without accreditations from Zifa, it had poor attendance from developmental sides. Only Somabula FC,Empress Mine FC and Siwawa FC managed to send their coaches for this educating ZIFA level 1 course.
The course had the priviledge of being attended by former players who were very happy to learn from veteran,Chief instructor of the central region Benedict Moyo and Rejoice Moyo.
‘I’m a coach at a junior level, coaching under 15 boys, I believe with the information that I have acquired here, I will impart the knowledge of football to my boys,’ said Michael Mageja former football player at Shabani mine FC and Chapungu United
The course covered basic fundamentals on football coaching with the aim aim of equiping coaches that are still coaching developmental football in the central region with relevant skills.
National director of ZIFA, Wilson Mtekede said the new coaches must uphold the coaching ethics and encouraged participants to further their studies especially in this digital world.
“The journey starts here coaches, we need to see you for level two, CAF courses, we want to see you coaching premier league (teams) even in Europe the sky is the limit,” said Mtekede.
He also emphasized the importance of having grassroots qalified coaches as the bedrock of junior football which will feed into the national teamsbetter players.
