mbulelo smpofu
Yesteryear greats with Lovemore Dube
FORMER Gweru United forward, Collin Semwayo is among a handful of former football players who have returned home from abroad to have a positive social impact on the communities that raised them.
He was an exciting attacking player in his heyday, good enough to attract the attention of Peter Nyama and Mick Poole, who worked with the Under-20s in the mid-1980s.
Semwayo who is now based in Dallas, Texas in the United States, teamed up some years ago with John Moyana, Brighton Malunga, Easton Zhoya and Fadzai Mukonoweshuro to register Together4Gweru (T4G)Trust.
He said he felt as a sign of gratitude compelled to start the organisation and give back to a community that gave him life.
They have a number of charity projects going on in Gweru and having been a footie, sport and recreation are projects among some of the activities T4G is seized with.
“My community raised me, so I formed that group so that we could give back to the community, give that boy and girl a shot at the future. Without my Gweru and Mambo community there would have been no Colin Semwayo, the soccer player,” said Semwayo.
At the moment they are busy trying to revive the once popular and productive Shumba Youth Centre.
“We have refurbished the toilets, now we are installing a solar borehole pump, and then solar power and we will do landscaping.
“We will then start a youth soccer academy from Under-8 at the centre. We will then revive Ndlovu Youth Centre in Mutapa. We are targeting Gweru Amateur Football Association (Gafa) grounds as well. Over here I coached youth soccer at Mercy Centre here in West Dallas. My focus is now on Gweru youth soccer. We have donated soccer equipment to various youth teams, recently to Raphael Phiri in Kadoma,” said Semwayo from Texas on Thursday.
He was born on 20 July 1965 in a family of nine (six girls and three girls) to a very Christian background.
“None of my parents was into sport but my elder brother, Sam was, he played for Gweru United,” said Semwayo.
He grew up Mambo Township which is where the football bug afflicted him in the early 1970s when Gweru United had brilliant players like John Nyumbu.
“I went to Sandra and Muwunga Primary schools in the early 1970s, then Ascot High School,” said Semwayo.
He described township life back then as tough but above it all fun.
“Like any kid of the era, I grew up living on street soccer. It was soccer in the morning, soccer in the afternoon and soccer under street lights and floodlights. We lived soccer,” he said.
His opponents in street games are guys who would later grew up to national recognition in the game, Roseman Drako, Isaac Tshuma, Knight Mathe, Nobert Zimuto and Jimmy Mbewe. Drako had a team from Section 7, Isaac from Mkoba Village 3, Jimmy, Nobert and Knight had their teams in Mambo. “There were so many fights in money games involving Jimmy and Drako’s teams,” said Semwayo as he went down memory lane reminiscing on his early days in the game, which began the old way in the streets, with dozens of hours put on honing proper skills from an early age.
“It was never easy to get the prize money against these teams, Jimmy broke my little toe,” said Semwayo.
Of the guys mentioned above, only Jimmy Mbewe did not play for Gweru United, he instead chose to play for Bata Power.
At Ascot Secondary School he teamed up with the late Nobert Sebastian and Samuel Muvindi and they were coached by Harris Magusha and Stephen Chakaipa.
“Most players during our time were from Ascot Secondary School and younger players like Alexander Useni, Mandla Masuku, Maxwell ‘Marhino’ Dube, Tawonga Zingwe, Bheki Mlotshwa came through the school,” said Semwayo.
He credits his elder brother, who was already established at Gweru United as having played a key role mentoring him.
“He was so strict with me. When I was in Form Four my brother was assistant coach to William Sibanda at Gweru United, he made it plain clear that I would only practice at school with coach Magusha (my relative) and Chakaipa during school hours, after school, it was homework time. Take it or leave it. I only practiced with Gweru United on Fridays and Saturdays so that I concentrated on school work. I even missed Under-20 call ups to go to Nigeria around September-October,” said Semwayo.
Semwayo said the former Black Rhinos and national teams assistant coach, Ashton “Papa” Nyazika drove to Ascot Secondary School to get him released but received a negative response.
Sam’s wife, Esnath Ngozo-Semwayo a teacher supported the education “first” position.
“So she got me into Chaplin High School for A-level, but my brother scratched it off. He wanted me to go to work so that I could take care of the family (dad and sisters),” said Semwayo.
His brother did not give room for discussion about issues.
“He was a pragmatist and I appreciate his guidance,” said Semwayo.
His job was at the Midlands Provincial Authority as an accounts clerk.
One Joel Zowa (late) hired Semwayo.
Semwayo hated the job as it had numbers something he had not loved even at secondary school.
“He became my mentor within the working class environment. He was an extremely intelligent world-class guy. But to be honest, I hated the job,” he added.
Growing up Semwayo dreamt of being an engineer.
“So I laboured for one year as an accounts clerk, then I finally took up apprenticeship as an electrician trainee at ZimAlloys. During my training at Alloys, we would spend blocks of six weeks at Bulawayo Polytechnic. I would practice with either Zimbabwe Saints or Highlanders during those stays. So I came to know the Bulawayo crew/players quite well.
“In fact, some guys like Willard Khumalo, Themba Lunga, Netsai ‘Super’ Moyo, Gody Paradza we knew each other from Under-13 soccer leagues,” he said.
He says he is forever grateful for the support and hospitality extended to him during those stays.
He recalls turning out for Highlanders in a friendly match against Kampala City Council.
Upon completion of his apprenticeship, he had many options at his disposal, Black Rhinos, Highlanders, Zimbabwe Saints or Gweru United. There was Caps United too.
At Gweru United he played with Nobert “Disco Dancer” Zimuto, Knight Mathe, Takesure Tito, Isaac Tshuma, Richard Manda, Wonder Chaka, Roseman Drako, Ernest Tembo, Jonah Murehwa, Peter Mulauzi, Alexander Useni, Temba Chingwena and Hector Chiraga.
“Chaka was my mentor since the first day I broke into the team. I remember my first day in the dressing room with the senior team, as the other players were dressing up, I just sat there like some punk not knowing what to do. I was just 17 and not so familiar with how the senior team conducted itself,” said Semwayo.
“Chaka is the one on my debut who said I should change as that was my day against Supersonic.”
On that day he scored a goal.
Notable games include the Gweru United 3-1 win over Ziscosteel at Torwood Stadium.
“I scored a hat-trick. Beating Dynamos at Rufaro 1-0 and the 4-2 win over Caps United in a match Chaka scored from the centre. He beat Duncan Ellison.
“I enjoyed playing against Highlanders. We were rivals to the teeth. And it always felt great when we beat them so many times at Barbourfields. I mean, we all know the passion Highlanders supporters have,” recalls Semwayo.
He remembers losing two finals on two consecutive years to Arcadia United and Black Rhinos.
“Another low point at Gweru United was an ankle and foot injury I sustained from Misheck Sibanda of Zimbabwe Saints. I mean I basically had a broken bone on top of my foot. I didn’t tell my coaches but I played almost a month with a broken foot. How did I do it? Every week I would go to my primary physician.
“He would give me a pain shot straight to my foot on a Monday and on Sunday just before games. Every Sunday before games I would ditch camping, run to his practice and get a pain shot. Eventually, it caught up with me and I ended up in a plaster. My favourite player at Gweru United was Alexander Useni. The young man rose through the ranks. He was commonsensical, sober minded, and hard working.”
Semwayo said in one season he missed the Soccer Star of the Year calendar by a point, with selectors having opted for Misheck Chidzambwa.
“The Herald or Sunday Mail reported that Misheck Marimo (RIP) had nuked me by a point. Kudos to Misheck, I have nothing against him. He was a formidable defender. Anyway, I was infuriated, dismayed and so were my teammates and coaches. I ended up playing soccer just for the heck of it but my determination to leave the country grew stronger. Moving to Caps United and to Harare was the means towards that end.
“Despite injuries from Misheck Sibanda and Angirayi Chapo, I resolved to trade whatever soccer I still had in my legs for a soccer scholarship in Indiana, USA. I started my move towards the end of the 1988 season. Secured all I needed, went back to Harare to complete the season with Caps United. I finally settled in Indiana 1989 then moved to Florida Institute of Technology in 1991 to complete my BSc in Electrical Engineering. I continued to play soccer while in college with great players from Brazil; Carlos Machado and Roberto.
“Carlos lives in Chicago and we still connect. That was in Indiana by the way. Then in Florida I had a great soccer time with the British lads. Dylan Lewis, Richard Sharpe, Keith Aimes, Karen Braselin, Greg Kemp, Paul Robertson, and a bunch others. I am grateful to my coaches at Florida Tech: Head Coach Rick Stottler (RIP), Giles Malone, Homer Berzog, and Bino Campanini. I’m still in touch with some of these guys,” said Semwayo.
The Major Soccer League was beginning when he retired in 1995.
“I eventually hung my boots in 1995 and focused on engineering. By then I was working at Honeywell Aviation in Phoenix Arizona as an RF Communication Design Engineer. I continued my education at Arizona State University where I completed a MSc in Digital Communication Systems, and continued towards a PhD (ABD) in the same field. I was a visiting scholar at Wichita State University during my research at Arizona State.”
Semwayo quit the engineering space in 2008 to concentrate on the Ministry and has a PhD in Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary.
He pulled out of the Zifa presidency race last week after being asked to pay US$1 500 to get nominated for the post.
Online Reporter
