FORMER Mighty Warriors coach, Shadreck Mlauzi has challenged the nation and Women’s Football leadership to come up with strategies to combat the rampant drug substance abuse by the girl child and save them from demise.
Mlauzi’s remarks followed the sad death of former Mighty Warriors and Black Rhinos Queens gangly striker, Rufaro “Mafidi” Machingura at her home in Waterfalls last week.
She was 30 years old and left behind a toddler. Machingura was given a state-assisted funeral, while Doves also chipped in after her family cried out for help.
Mlauzi, Zimbabwe Women’s soccer’s most successful coach to date, guided the team to a historic Rio de Janeiro Olympics qualification in Brazil in 2016.
A Rudo Neshamba solitary goal against the fancied Cameron team at Rufaro Stadium on October 18, 2015, was enough to take the Mighty Warriors to the dreamland.
The first match had ended 2-1 in favour of Cameron in their backyard, and 2-2 was how the tie ended. Zimbabwe sneaked through on an away goal rule.
Machingura was a second-half substitute in that triumphant match, replacing Rejoice Kapfumvuti in the 63rd minute. The Zimbabwe women’s team became the first local football team to qualify for the Olympics and the first team sport to do since the Hockey Golden Team’s participation at the Moscow Games in Russia in 1980.
Machingura’s promising career was cut short by drugs and substance abuse. Although she tried to weave her way back to competitive football, it was too late.
“My deepest condolences; what a loss to the nation. It’s a tough one, you know; barely a year ago, we lost Aldiglade Bhamu and young players. It’s so touching, so sad. It’s just one of those things, so our heartfelt condolences go to her family, Black Rhinos her club, Women Soccer and the whole football fraternity,” Mlauzi told EnterSportNews.
“It hasn’t been particularly an easy two years for us who have been involved with women’s football; quite troubling times. Then again, one naturally wants to go a step further and assist those up-and-coming youngsters who must also learn to accept advice.
“There’s just so much pressure. In our world, there’s just so much happening out there. It’s a jungle out there, so to find yourself now once you go into that jungle and find yourself back home, it becomes a tall order.”
Mlauzi chronicled the exceptional talent Machingura possessed.
“Mafidi, as we affectionately called her, was extremely (extremely) talented. A very versatile player, utility to the point that we could play her as a defensive link man, as a defender- centre back or a focal point of attack,” added Mlauzi.
“I still remember how we out-manoeuvred Zambia Shepolopolo at Nkoloma Stadium, the dreaded Nkoloma Stadium. We completely outplayed them. We used her frame to the greatest advantage. She was unique because she was the type of player that could effortlessly make 40-60m passes because of her leg power.
“She possessed a great (great) strength, so at the end of the day, once we lose these players, maybe due to other social ills that are happening, substance abuse, it’s not a secret that outside football, she wasn’t the most behaved, that its a fact. So we sympathise with the family we are with them during this difficult time. In spirit, we are with the Machingura family, with the Women’s Football family. Even in the burial, we will be there in spirit. But unfortunately, we are not able to make it due to those constraints that limit us at this particular point in time. Still, we are together during this difficult period.”
The former gaffer challenged the mother body to devise ways to safeguard girls against falling into the deadly social ills pit.
“What a loss once again to the nation. We hope and pray that our mother body, our Women’s Soccer executive, comes with good strategic planning to combat what could possibly end these young players’ lives,” he said.
“It’s quite frightening and touching at the same time that the heavy substance abuse our players are endearing to will also cause serious complications that will leave the nation with so many heartaches. It’s essential that we think about how best we can combat this and how best we can assist. This requires concerted effort.”
