Online Reporter
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 women’s team, which will take part in the Northern Region Soccer League this season.
The institution have also spread their 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.
The institution have a vibrant academy which caters for both girls and boys and the first fruits from the nursery have been swallowed into the professional set-ups. These include 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.
“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.
“We are set 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 the 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 the 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, who rejected professional job offers 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 said.
“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.”
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