SCRABBLERS SCOUT FOR K640, 000 TO STAGE CONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP
THE Scrabble Association of Zambia (SAZ) is determined to revive competitive scrabble following a lull after the Covid 19 outbreak.
SAZ has since submitted a request for K640, 456 to the Ministry of Arts, Youth and Sports for staging of the 14th edition of the African Scrabble Championship (ASC) in Lusaka next month.
The event, billed for Mulungushi International Conference Centre from October 21 to 24 is expected to attract nine teams comprising 150 players.
Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia, Serra Leone, Liberia, Uganda, Kenya, South Africa and hosts Zambia will battle for honour in the continental event.
In a letter dated August 9, 2022 to Ministry of Arts, Youth and Sports permanent secretary Kangwa Chileshe, SAZ vice-president Chipika Simanwe said to host the championship, SAZ is seeking sponsorship from the ministry to help offset the costs associated with organising the tournament venue, boards, team regalia and other expenses.
In April this year, SAZ and other well-wishers sent a team of eight players to participate in the East and Southern African (ECASA) Championship in Uganda.
The Zambia national team won a bronze medal, with two players in the top 20 in a field of 66 players.
The emerging winners of the 2022 National and Master’s Championships were also sponsored to participate in the South African Open Scrabble Championship in
Cape Town in June.
The two players scooped second and fifth positions. The top two Zambian scrabble players have competed favourably in the recent past on the international level and are a force to reckon with.
“The association is very proud of its achievements and continues to aim higher by training more university students, and primary and secondary school going children,” Simanwe said
The 14th edition tournament in Zambia will be the first since 2018 when the ASC was last hosted by Kenya in 2018 and featured seven countries; Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Tanzania and Zambia with a field of 62 players.
Competitive scrabble came to a halt in 2020 following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Ideally, Zambia should have hosted this 14th Edition of African Scrabble Championship in 2020,” said SAZ general secretary Joana Chemba.
Chemba said the ASC is very important because it gauges the elite players in Africa. “Such international tournaments help us scale our game level as a country, gain morale and stamina as local tournaments only are not enough.
This tournament also gives an opportunity for more Zambians to play in a WESPA (World English-Language Scrabble Players Association) rated tournament, which do not come by often locally. This will be a 32-game tournament to be played in four days, that's a perfect test of endurance and word knowledge,” she said.