THE inaugural Magaya Soccer Tournament took off in Chitungwiza on Saturday amid pomp and fanfare providing a platform for talent identification and fight against the menacing substance abuse.
The tournament is the brainchild of Chitungwiza-born YADAH FC boss, Prophet Walter Magaya the leader of the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministry.
Young Africa won the men’s soccer tournament, with Chitown United coming in second and Zengeza finishing third.
St. Mary’s claimed the top spot in netball.
Magaya emphasised that the tournament would serve as a talent pool for scouts to select players for the recently launched Chitungwiza Select team.
” What we are trying to achieve here is we are starting to motivate youngsters of Chitungwiza to intervene, to see a spot from grassroots. So we are calling this Magaya Tournament, ” Magaya explained.
” What I have done, I have created a team in Chitungwiza. The idea is to have a team in Chitungwiza that participates in the Premier league next year.”
All participating teams received new soccer jerseys and netball uniforms, highlighting Magaya’s commitment to supporting grassroots sports development.
“We are registering everyone and donating a jersey before the game. But the idea is when they go wherever they go, they must continue,” Magaya said.
The Permanent Secretary of Sports and Recreation, Nicholas Moyo who was the guest of honour at the event praised the initiative as a way to help young people develop talent and also stay away from substance abuse.
“There are two fronts that I see. Number one is the participation of people. Currently, you are aware that there is a scourge that is affecting Zimbabwe and many of the South African nations, which is the issue of drug and substance abuse. And, the more we create platforms that engage young people in this drug and substance abuse, so primarily this tournament will, in a long way, be a major contributor. People that are idle will always find something else to do. Idleness is not a permanent state, ” said Moyo.
“They move away from being idle to then do other things. And those other things become vices, become things that are not acceptable in society. But when you then occupy that space with sports, you are making them think differently. You are making them become preoccupied. You are making them start to carve a new dream for themselves. Secondly, it’s bringing those young people to realise that sport is an industry.”
Moyo also commended the initiative’s potential impact on the community.
“If you look at the multiplier effect, the impact that it is going to have in those people that start talking about netball, that starts talking about soccer, and how those families may then start supporting those children in their own homes, goes a long way also in profiling a sport in this community of Chitungwiza,” he said.
He added that the event could spark increased interest in sports within Chitungwiza, potentially leading to improved infrastructure and community engagement.
“If eventually the stadium here is renovated to whatever status, it also means the support by Chitungwiza on its own. It’s not people just coming because it’s a new stadium, but it’s people coming because they have an appreciation of what soccer is all about,” Moyo added.
The Permanent Secretary concluded by congratulating Prophet Magaya on behalf of the government, calling it a “noble concept” that could have lasting benefits for the youth and sports development in Chitungwiza.
The soccer tournament offered substantial cash prizes, with the winning team taking home $1000, the runners-up $500, and the third-place team $250. The netball competition also provided attractive rewards, with prizes of $500, $250, and $100 for the top three teams respectively.
This initiative aims to create a pathway for local talent to reach higher levels of competition.
The next edition for the remaining teams will take place next Saturday on the same venue.
