Zimpapers Logo

Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
MANINGI Junior Football Club director, Gladman Dimbiri, says their five-year target is to have, at least, 20 players going overseas to study on football scholarships.

The club is on spotlight again after another Young Mighty Warriors player secured a scholarship in the United States.

Thirteen-year-old, Beata Diana Chako is settling in well at Brenton Parker College University where she has begun her studies in Law at South Georgia in Atlanta.

Dimbiri facilitated Chako’s move to the United States where she joins fellow Zimbabwean, Vanessa Mateko, who is at the same institution. Both players will feature for the university’s women football team.

Dimbiri, who is based in the United Kingdom but juggles with overseeing his football project back home, says although the vision is beginning to bear fruits, he still wants more players to get scholarships.

So far four players from the club have made the move abroad. The duo of Mitchel Nyakatsapa and Natasha Ndowa were the first Zimbabwean women players to secure moves to an English league division side when they joined London-based fourth-tier team, New London Lionesses.

“I have made links with some universities, in the past, when we sent 25 boys to USA,’’ he said.

“Now, our focus is to do the same for girls.

“I have reached out to some universities to consider our girls and they are interested.

‘’We have a few professional clubs in UK and France.

“We are challenging our girls at the academy that they need to work so hard on their education and football.

‘’They need to pass, at least, O-Levels and they also need to be at their best, preferably playing for the Zimbabwe junior national teams, to get a better chance.

“We have a five-year plan at our club now and we hope to send 20 girls in five years. We believe this will help the Mighty Warriors in the long run.’’

Dimbiri is passionate about junior football, particularly the women’s game, and commits his family resources to run Maningi club.

“Funding is a big challenge as we don’t get anything from ZIFA and we hope we will start getting something as the ZIFA president has promised,’’ he said.

“We depend on personal funds and, for local scholarships, we get four to five players funded by Ten Toes Africa.

“We have started a charity called Voice of Township Girls, which we hope will mobilise funds so that we help more underprivileged girls.’’

The club have around 40 girls in the Under-15 age group.  Most of the girls are Dzivarasekwa 2 High and some train in Epworth.

The club’s senior team are the Under-19 side. There are 30 players in that age group.

The club has five coaches and the head coach is Gumisai Kutyauripo, who is assisted by Melody Kanengoni.

The Under-15 coaches are Primrose Serima, Ray Moyo and Sydney Guyo.

Chako, who is in the United States, attained 12 points at A-Level.

“I am the last born in a family of seven. I started playing football in 2014 when l was 13 years in Seke communal lands,’’ she said.

“Our school team qualified for provincial tournament, which was held at Liebenberg High School in Chivhu, in 2014.

“It was during that tournament that scouts from Maningi club saw me. They approached my teacher and also took my parents’ contact details.

“I was later invited for trials by the club and l was the outstanding player. Mr Dimbiri (Gladman), director of Maningi Football Club, offered me an Advanced Level scholarship at Glen View 1 High once l passed my Form 4.

“I was really motivated by the offer and I concentrated on both my football and school work.’’