Bosso SA chapter adopts club Under-18s

THE Highlanders South African Supporters Chapter is set to meet the expenses of the club’s Under-18 junior side following a request from the executive to ease the financial burden on Bosso’s empty coffers.

The Highlanders FC South African chapter held its annual general meeting last Saturday and made a resolution for Bosso to enact a policy that will see all its branches adopting a junior team.

Chapter chairman Daniel Molokele said the juniors are the cornerstone of Highlanders and there is a need to ensure they are supported and talent is adequately developed.

He said they received the request before their AGM and agreed to fund the Under-18 side that play in the Bulawayo Junior League together with the Under-16 and Under-14.

“The executive made a request that we fund the Under18 team and at the AGM we agreed it was a noble thing to do and we are going to accede to their request but we also resolved to sponsor a motion at Sunday’s (today) meeting that it should be club policy that every branch adopts a junior team so that in the long run we will have two to three branches supporting one junior team.

“Junior level is critical and we need to give the upcoming stars and coaches all the support they need so they develop into good footballers that will not only play for the first team but also move to other teams and abroad,” he said.

Highlanders are sinking in debt of close to $1 million and is facing cash flow challenges as the club is struggling to raise money to fund its operations.

The side’s Division One side had to wear uniforms previously worn by the senior team while junior teams have not had adequate training equipment such as balls which are critical at that stage of development.

The Victoria Falls chapter is already supporting the Under-14 side and the executive has also requested other chapters to assist paying school fees for some talented players whose parents are struggling to meet the educational financial demands.

The recently set up United Kingdom chapter also revealed, immediately after formation, it would working towards adopting a junior team to ensure Bosso regains its status of having the best junior development structures.

Meanwhile Molokele revealed they will be hosting a gala dinner for Bosso legends based in South Africa which had been planned last year as part of the club’s 90th anniversary.

“We failed to host the event last year but we have not cancelled it and would be setting a suitable date for this year and forge ahead with it,” he said.