22 February 2022
Jeremiah Harrison
Sports Reporter
Many Zimbabwean parents have an ingrined notion that children should focus more on academics than extra curricular activities such as sports.
For the past two decades sport has become the highest paying job in the whole world.
Athletes such as Tiger Woods (Golf), Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather (Boxing) Cristiano Ronaldo (Football) are among the highly paid sportsmen in the world.
Elton Chigumbura Cricket Academy is preparing for their Tour to Bangladesh around April this year, but the organisers are facing a low turn out in terms of support from parents in order for the tour to the Asian country to be a success.
The cricket academy received an invitation to tour Bangladesh which is set to benefit young cricket players and to expose them to the sport.
Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are the top ranked teams in cricket, therefore this opportunity will fully equip the young up coming cricketers.
Elton Chigumbura Cricket Academy Bulawayo coach Kennedy Chanetsa told Zim GBC News the challenges they are facing during their preparation.
He bemoaned the fact that some parents have not yet granted permission for their children to participate in the tour especially those are above fourteen years of age. He continued to say that only a few parents of about 6 children are supporting the tour.
He said
“At moment I can’t really say how many players are going to Bangladesh because some parents have not yet confirmed. Only five or six parents have confirmed.”
As a result the Academy has not yet specified which age groups are travelling to Asia in April.
More likely only U-13 cricketers are likely to travel to Bangladesh.
This academy caters for children from as young as seven years up until 19 years. U-23 team comes occasionally when it is off season for clubs in Matabeleland League.
Elton Chigumbura Cricket Academy consists of 5 teams which include under 11, U-13, U-15, U-16 and U-19. These players are taken from schools such as Whitestone School, Christian Brothers College and other surrounding areas.
Recently the academy started a ladies’ team though they are still few in numbers to make up a proper team so as to have gender balance.
Chanetsa contimued
“We have a lot of players from different parts of Bulawayo, some come as far as Njube and Mpopoma.”
Chanetsa went on to conclude by a word of encouragement urging parents to invest their child in both academics and sport.
“Sport is a second option, especially with our economy one might have a degree but fail to get a job. If one is invested in sport he has a second option to choose from. I strongly encourage parents to invest their children in sport.” said Chanetsa.
Cricket is growing in the country, the Elton Chigumbura Academy trains at Bulawayo Athletics Club but they play at Heath Streak Academy as their home ground.
The academy was set up in the country’s two largest cities, Harare and Bulawayo and in Harare it is at Old Hararians.
Part of the mission of the Academy is to promote gender equity as it gives equal opportunities to both female and male players.