Coaches enrol for ‘keeper’s trainers’ clinic
FORTY-TWO coaches drawn from the Premiership and lower division clubs enrolled for a goalkeepers’ trainers’ clinic that started on Monday and ends on Friday at Chaplin High School in Gweru.
Highlanders’ and former national team goalkeepers’ trainer Tembo Chuma, one of the country’s Caf certified goalkeepers’ instructors, is facilitating the course.
The five-day beginners’ training programme has attracted two Batswana participants.
Chuma, who attended the first ever Caf Goalkeeping Instructors Course last year in Yaoundé, Cameroon, which was also attended by some of the continent’s top goalkeepers’ trainers, is excited about the prospect of imparting knowledge to local coaches.
“This instructors’ course I attended last year was an eye-opener and I’m happy to be ploughing back to the Zimbabwean football landscape by training goalkeepers’ coaches. There are 42 coaches here, some from the Premiership and others from lower leagues, as well as foreigners. Football has evolved over the years and this course is meant to assist participants with some of the training tactics that will help improve goalkeepers,” Chuma said.
Since Chuma joined the Highlanders’ technical team this year, the team’s goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda has shown some improvement in how he commands his box. Sibanda has managed to keep four clean sheets in Highlanders’ five games, conceding just once in the process.
Chuma’s work in transforming Sibanda into one of the best goalkeepers earned him praise from Highlanders’ head coach Madinda Ndlovu after their 1-0 victory over Nichrut in a match which the shot stopper made a number of stunning saves.
Among some of the coaches attending the course are Chenjerai Dube from ZPC Kariba, Triangle United’s Innocent Chogugudza, Zivanai Kawadza of Caps United, Bulawayo Chiefs’ Nkosiyazi Ncube and veteran Johannes Tshuma.
Former Hwange goalkeeper, Anthony Nakamba, father to Zimbabwe international Marvelous, ex-national team keepers Ephraim Mazarura, Tendai Hove from ZPC Kariba and former Bulawayo City goalie, Ndodana Sibanda are attending the course.
Zifa technical director Wilson Mutekede said: “It’s been long since Zimbabwe last had training specifically for goalkeepers. This is a beginners’ course for first timers and for those who’ve trained as goalkeepers’ coaches, this is more of a refresher course.
“Caf came up with a syllabus for goalkeepers’ training and Zimbabwe sent Chuma to a continental symposium that was held in Cameroon last year. Now Chuma is imparting that knowledge to local trainers and we hope it will go a long way in improving our goalkeepers.”
Some of the greats that graduated with Chuma in Cameroon last year include former Ghana internationals Richard Kingson and Cudoe Addo, Liberia’s Lucretius Togba, Gambia national football team goalkeepers’ trainer Alagie Marong, Swaziland’s Anthony Mdluli and ex-Malawi national team goalkeeper Swadick Sanudi. — @ ZililoR.