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Ellina Mhlanga

Sports Reporter

FOLLOWING their first training session together over the weekend, Under-21 women’s hockey coach, Tendayi Maredza, is pleased with the progress the players have made.

The Under-21 men and women’s squads are preparing for the Junior World Cup qualifiers in March.

Hockey Association of Zimbabwe got the green light to resume their activities early this month.

The junior sides had their first sessions over the weekend with the women’s side meeting on Saturday and Sunday at St John’s College under the guidance of Maredza.

Some of the Under-21s are also part of the senior women squad that began their preparations for the Central-South Africa tournament a week ago.

“We had one session on Saturday and one session on Sunday. Some of the other players were not able to come because of other commitments, but it was a good practice.

“With some of the girls part of the national squad, they have to do two sessions every weekend.

“We were trying to balance between the national squad, and Under-21, so they can pick one of the Under-21 sessions. They can attend the national squad sessions on a Sunday and then the Under-21s on a Saturday so that we manage them well, so that they don’t burn out going towards the actual tournament. I am very impressed with some of them because they have really been working hard. You can see with their basics, their fitness and everything, so it’s showing that they have been working hard at home and doing what we asked them to do,’’ said Maredza.

They are still expecting some of the foreign-based players to join them between now and December.

“I am expecting some of the other players, from abroad, to come in next week. Some of them have pulled out because their university programme is going to run throughout to March.

“But, we should be expecting less than 10, between now and end of December,” Maredza said.

The coaches are set to trim the team early next month and the final 18 will be announced early January.