dyton mupawaenda
Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
AFTER years of dominance in the Women’s Soccer League, the Herentals Group of Schools and Colleges have decided to add another female team that will participate in the Northern Region Soccer League this coming season.
The institution have also spread its wings further by putting together yet another men’s club in Victoria Falls, which is to play in the Southern Region Soccer League.
That takes the total number of professional teams under the institution’s banner to nine and makes the educational entity the biggest in this regard across Southern Africa.
The institution also has a vibrant academy that caters to both girls and boys, and the first fruits from the nursery have been swallowed into the professional set-ups, including the newly formed Herentals Queens Juniors and across the men’s teams from Division 2 to the flagship side in the Premier Soccer League.
This is in line with the institution’s chairman Tafadzwa Benza’s vision of spreading the game to all corners of the country as well as empowering the girl child using football. Benza yesterday said the outstanding performances by Herentals Queens, who have won the Women’s Soccer League title in the past three seasons, spurred them to establish another female team within their ranks.
“Look, we are preaching inclusivity, and this is what we mean. We have Herentals Queens who are doing exceptionally well in the Women’s Soccer League, where they have won the league title in the past three seasons.
“It means we have so many girls out there who, if nurtured, can help put our country on the international football map. So we are giving them the platform where they can showcase themselves,” ”said Benza.
“We are to launch the team in the coming few weeks, and the aim is to have them participate in the Northern Region Soccer League just like we have the men’s Division One team and the PSL club. That is the same set-up we are bringing for women.
“We need to maximise on women’s participation and as Herentals, we are committed to seeing the number of women in the game increasing.
“In the same vein, we are spreading our wings as Herentals, and tomorrow (today), we are launching another team to play either in Division 2 or Division 1 in Victoria Falls. We are saying football should be played right across the country.”
Benza said this is the same vision he intends to take to ZIFA if he gets the nod to become an executive member in the elections set for January 25.
The actuarial scientist, known for rejecting professional job offers from overseas just for the love of the game back home, is one of the contenders for the available six slots for the ordinary board member posts.
“I love the game, and inclusivity is what drives my passion. We should see the game being played in every corner of the country and by both genders,” he added.
“Football has the potential to become one of the biggest employers, and we have shown that at Herentals, where we have over 700 employees directly involved in the game.
