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Tedious Manyepo : Sports Reporter

A UK-BASED Zimbabwean junior coach, Dyson Dzapasi, is making waves with his Positive Youth Empowerment Soccer Schools, an official Leeds United Academy Development Centre. He has teamed up with Leeds United Academy to develop kids in the Yorkshire region where Leeds United Academy are based. The project recently celebrated the signing of 13-year-old Jimiel Chikukwa whose parents are from Zimbabwe.Chikukwa on Tuesday signed to play for the Leeds United Academy’s Under-14s after having been developed by Dzapasi.

The coach said he was thankful to Leeds United staff, particularly Terry Porter, the head of recruitment, for the role the club is playing in promoting talent in Yorkshire.

“I am very thankful to the Leeds United staff for the role they are playing in the promotion of young players in the Yorkshire area,” said Dzapasi.

Last season the project helped Ethan Kachosa and Musab Aliyu, both 13 at the time, by Leeds Academy.

Kachosa also has Zimbabwean roots.

“I was born here in England but my parents, Jimiel (Snr) and Pascaria, are both from Zimbabwe and I speak a little bit of Shona but it’s too early for me to decided on which country to turn out for in the future,” he said.

“I’m still too young to make that decision on my own and I’m yet to sign a professional contract,” said Chikukwa.

Dzapasi said all the coaches at PYE are holders of at least a UEFA B licence.

“I’m just happy that one of my products at PYE — Jimiel Chikukwa — has now been signed up by the Leeds United Academy where he will first feature for their Under-14s.

“PYE stands for Positive Youth Empowerment. We empower kids with good coaching and all coaches in the project are holders of at least a UEFA B licence; and that’s why the project is getting some positive results or success.

The 40-year-old Dzapasi is a former NMB Bank manager here in Zimbabwe but now runs a Sports Management Enterprise in the UK.