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Collin Matiza Sports Editor
ACCORDING to an old Chinese saying, a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. And promising young Zimbabwean soccer player Prince Milanzi is set to take that important step when he embarks on a two-week trial at Mighty Warriors Soccer Academy in Boksburg, South Africa, later this month.

Twelve-year-old striker Milanzi will this year be in Grade Seven at St Eric Primary School in Norton and he currently plays football under Aspire Youth Soccer Academy which is based in the Mashonaland West Province town, some 40km outside Harare.

And according to the director of Aspire Youth Soccer Academy, Vengayi Tinarwo, young Milanzi was recently invited for a two-week trial period at Mighty Warriors Soccer Academy after they watched some videos of him in action in the Harare Junior Soccer League last season.

“In fact, when I went to South Africa a couple of weeks ago, I took with me some of his (Milanzi’s) videos and showed them to the coaches at Mighty Warriors Soccer Academy and they were impressed by what they saw and they immediately extended an invite for him to train with them for two weeks.

“Prince should be in South Africa by January 29 and if he impresses them during his two-week trial period, they indicated that they will enrol him into their academy where they will nurture and groom him as they have direct links with South African Premiership side Mamelodi Sundowns,” Tinarwo said.

Life Chikarakara is the chairperson of Mighty Warriors Soccer Academy and in his invitation letter to Milanzi, dated January 4 2014, he indicated that they would want to assess the talented young Zimbabwean player for a period of two weeks, starting from January 29.

Part of his letter read: “Mighty Warriors Soccer Academy, wishes to invite the following player (Prince Milanzi) to attend a soccer trials with our Academy for two weeks in February.

“The academy, will consider this player, who makes the trial, to enrol in 2014-2015, as the soccer academy will be open for its yearly activities and competitions. The player (is) expected to arrive in South Africa on or before 29th January, 2014.”

During his two-week trial period at Mighty Warriors Soccer Academy, Tinarwo said Milanzi will also take part in the Nike Chance tournament which is designed for the young and talented players who will later be picked to take part in the same event in Spain next month.

“The Nike Chance tournament will be held during the first two weeks of February and it is designed to spot talented young players who will then make a team which will represent Africa at another Nike Chance event in Spain later in the same month and I’m quite confident that Prince will make the team for this event in Europe because he is such a talented player,” Tinarwo said.

The director of Aspire Youth Soccer Academy said he was currently “running around” to raise air fares for young Milanzi’s dream trip to South Africa.

“I am supposed to accompany him to South Africa because he can’t go there on his own and we need about US$1 000 (from well-wishers) for our air fares which I think we will raise before our departure for Johannesburg on January 27,” Tinarwo said.

Meanwhile, in a related development, Harare-based World Wide Scholarship have entered into a partnership with Nike Football Academy which will see them scouting for talented, young players for the academy in the Southern African Region.

In a Press statement released yesterday, WWS said: “Off the back of a successful Africa Soccer Trials event in Johannesburg, South Africa, WWS group have now partnered with the world’s most reputable scouting platform through a fruitful partnership with Nike Chance.

“This development brings the dream of playing in Europe (for African players) even closer as now from Africa there is a definitive chance for a player with talent to go and ply his trade there.

“The Nike Chance is an opportunity for young footballers to compete at local trials and earn a place at the Nike Academy. The Nike Academy is a full-time, pro-level training programme based at St. George’s Park, England.

The players will perform at local trials and earn their place at the Nike Academy.” According to WWS, currently there are 25 players from over nine countries in Africa who, through special invitation by World Wide Scholarships Group, will attend this prestigious trials opportunity.  WWS president Munya Maraire added: “It is an honour to work with Nike Football, the biggest brand in the world for soccer.

What I love most though is the great story that comes from trials to the professional game and through the Nike Chance the opportunities for the players are real. Many trials events both overseas and locally are entertainment events or sports holidays (and) at WWS we have made it a policy to make sure the opportunities for the players are well defined and tangible.

“Nike Chance last year produced 23 professional contracts to professional clubs all over Europe for the players who were involved.”
The objectives of the event are to:

◆ Identify Africa’s top players from ages 16-19 years old
◆ Link talented players with opportunities in Europe
◆ Link talented players with professional contracts
◆ Link talented players who do not make the professional grade with scholarships to USA colleges
And the opportunities for the players are that:
◆ Top players from the January 25, 2014 one-day trials will be invited to the Africa final Nike Chance selection from January 30 to February 2, 2014
◆ Top players from the Nine Chance tournament in South Africa will be sent on an all-expenses paid for trip to England for the Nike Chance global event which will have top scouts and academy coaches looking to sign players to professional contracts in Europe
◆ Nike Academy select players to play games against English Premiership academies, Arsenal, Manchester United and PSG, to name but a few of some of their opponents
◆ Top players will have the opportunity to be linked with University Scholarships for soccer facilitated by World Wide Scholarships Group