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Tadious Manyepo-Youth Interactions Sports Reporter

BUDIRIRO 1 Primary School football pitch is rugged.

It’s almost unsuitable for use especially for development in which it is designed for in the first place.

In a way, it actually drives away many talented youngsters from playing the game at least for the time they are enrolled at this hitherto one of the best academically performing schools in Harare.

Yet, an unassuming young girl Praynance Zvawanda never really paid attention on the condition of this pitch.

She was almost always trying different drills on it as she honed her football skills.

Somehow, her passion for football attracted ridicule from her fellow girls at the school.

For them, football was for boys and for girls, it was only supposed to be a pastime and a fulfilment of the school’s extra-curricular activities.

“But for me, football was life and I don’t even know why I loved the game so much. I was bright in class but I never wanted to miss football training sessions starting from the time I was only in Grade 4 at Budiriro 1 Primary School.

“I would even volunteer to fit into the boys team most of the times for the purposes of training. My fellow students used to laugh at me because they thought I was a bit off as they believed football was designed only for boys,” said Zvawanda.

“But I turned a deaf ear to the biting criticism instead concentrating on picking all the skills I was learning. While my parents supported me, some relatives would openly tell me to slow it a bit.

“But I didn’t allow the criticism to get into my head and I remained resolute.”

At just 19 and in her debut season in the Women’s Super League, Zvawanda has conquered.

The Herentals star is riding on the crest of the wave after she was named the 2022 Soccer Star of the Year in a league that boasts of veterans who have played at the highest level.

Zvawanda was by far the most outstanding player in the entire league last season as she carried the Students to their maiden Women’s Super League title.

She was virtually unplayable on the flanks and she would as well shift to the central attacking position as and when the need arised.

She banged 23 goals, the second highest in the league and also dished 15 assists, the most in the league.

In terms of overall display, Zvawanda was unmatched as she literally handheld Herentals Queens to royalty.

Her game intelligence and dribbling skills kept the opponents on their toes as she played all the games in the league.

There was no sign of fatigue nor nervousness as is usually the case with debutants as Zvawanda played like a veteran of the game throughout the season.

Yet she contemplated quitting the game as the Covid-19 scourge kept her at home after signing her first professional contract with Herentals Queens.

“Yes I contemplated leaving the scene before I actually arrived. That Covid-19 period was something else. I was bored and I wanted to quit. Look, I had just signed my first professional contract and there was no game to play. I thought maybe that was the end of it all,” she said.

“But I remembered how I persevered in those difficult Budiriro 1 Primary School circumstances. Quitting was never a choice and I continued to train individually. Here and there, we would train as a team.”

This is a girl with football close to her heart. From Budiriro 1 Primary School, she had been identified by Cyclone Academy who nurtured her further before she was offered a scholarship at Vainona High School.

She would be selected to represent Zimbabwe in an international Copa CocaCola tournament in South Africa where she was the Player of the Tournament back in 2017.

And the Young Mighty Warriors technical team took notice with Zvawanda drafted into the squad for a Cosafa tournament that was staged in Botswana.

“I should say those two tournaments, the Copa CocaCola and the Cosafa editions opened my ways. I was doing well but then I was still in school and needed to concentrate on my academics.

“It was not until 2019 when Herentals Queens approached me but in 2020 football activities were suspended and we had no choice but to pause the negotiations.”

And in 2021, she penned a long-term deal with the team.

Herentals Queens coach Simbarashe Dedza said Zvawanda was destined for the skies if she keeps her focus.

“We are talking of someone who is dedicated to duty. She puts everything in the game and her work ethic is second to none,” said Dedza.

“Zvawanda is a good example of what hard work can do for footballers. She is eager to learn and develop as an individual player and she also throws everything in her bid to learn how to fit her style into team effort.

“She deserves all the recognition she has received so far and I can tell you she will win many accolades and even play in Europe should she stay focused.”

Zvawanda said fellow youths should focus on what they intend to achieve in life and keep on trying while desisting from social ills like drug abuse if they are to make it big.