Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Collin Matiza
10 July 2009
Harare — IN a first in this country, a squash academy for junior players has sprung up at Harare's Premier Belgravia Sports Club.
The academy is the brainchild of one of the country's top squash coaches Mashumba Mukumba and it caters for young, aspiring players from both the low and high-density areas. Mukumba said yesterday that he came up with the idea of setting up the academy after attending the 9th World Squash Coaching and Development Conference in Hong Kong in May this year.
"During my Hong Kong trip I learnt a lot and I thought it would be best to plough back to the community by way of voluntary work along the squash field. "First of all, I would like to thank again those people who sponsored me in anyway and made my trip to Hong Kong successful.
"And now, I am paying (them) back by way of coaching the kids from both the low and high-density areas. I coach them for free and I only ask them to pay for their own transport to and from the club," Mukumba said. He said he has also collected a number of old squash rackets from some local players which the kids are using in his junior squash-coaching programme.
"I also brought some squash balls from Hong Kong which the kids are using and I would like to extend the programme to other clubs depending on the availability of equipment and sponsorship. "I would like to prepare or put together all the necessary documents that will enable me to run this academy professionally."
Mukumba said his main aim in this exercise was to produce "one or two" world-class squash players that will represent Zimbabwe at the 2016 Olympic Games that is if the sport is embraced as an Olympic sport by the International Olympic Committee by that year. He was also looking at introducing squash to children at local children's homes.
"During this process, I will also be targeting these youngsters with the aim of turning them into professional squash players and finally seeing them representing the country at major international events including the 2016 Olympic Games."
Mukumba's squash academy is already the home of 25 children from different backgrounds. Some of the children come from Glen View, Budiriro, Chitungwiza, Hatcliffe and Dzivaresekwa.
These children are going to learn their new trade for the next two months under the tutelage of Mukumba, as the head coach, and his assistants Patrick Chambwinja, local champion Ishmael Mubure, Lardina Mukumba, Malvin Mubure and Shame Tondowa.
The coaches are looking at holding a tournament for these children after three months in order to assess their progress.
Children at Premier Belgravia Sports Club Squash Academy
Innocent and Precious Mukumba, Gilan Chidede, Boniface Chiwaka, Luke Ndlovu, Barnabas Chakabveyo, Irvine Takaendesa, Innocent Muponde, Butler Mukurazhizha (all from Budiriro), Ethel Dzangare (Glen View 3), Blessing Kumuwa, Mavis Tigere, Moud and Prince Chambwinya, Pride Tarupiwa, Tinashe Manyika (all from Chitungwiza), Prosper Makaka (Dzivaresekwa), Crispen Muza (Hatcliffe), Simba Chirefu, Calm Chivarange, Daryn Ship (all from Alexandra Park), Patience Chimboora, Yvonne Mubure (both from Avondale), Patience and Talent Chigome (both from Mount Pleasant).
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