Dhlakama shares Copa experience

IT’S three decades now since the Copa Coca-Cola football tournament was born in Zimbabwe and from humble beginnings it has stood the test of time, growing in leaps and bounce.

It has not only provided the stage for the young footballers but for some of the coaches to shape their careers.

One such coach is Rodwell Dhlakama who led Zimbabwe’s select side to a successful campaign at the regional tri-nations tournament in Zambia in 2005.

The regional event, sponsored by Coca-Cola, was introduced at the turn of the millennium before the regional and international camps. It involved select sides from Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia. Zimbabwe won the title in 2005 after they prevailed over their counterparts in Lusaka.

Dhlakama said Copa Coca-Cola, then known as Coca-Cola Nash, was his springboard to landing the Under-17 and Under-20 national teams’ job.

“The Coca-Cola tournament gave me a platform to transform myself as a coach. My success with my school, Chrome High, in the Midlands province gave me the confidence and transformation that I needed to become one of the top coaches not only in Zimbabwe but in Southern Africa.

“I coached in Swaziland and Botswana and my success in those countries is written on the wall for everyone to see.

“The script did not end there. I then got the opportunity to coach the Zimbabwe Under-17 and Under-20 teams because of the platform that I got from the Under-20 tri-nations tournament,” said Dhlakama.

As the celebrations for the 30th anniversary continue, the organisers have also moved with time in their efforts to ensure the tournament addresses the component of development from an early age.

This has seen them changing the format in terms of the age-group and from last year the event has been targeting Under-15s, a move Dhakama believes is important for developmental purposes.

He said the revolutionary schools football tournament has immensely contributed in shaping the football landscape in the country.

“The schools then took soccer seriously like Mzilikazi, Mutare Boys High, Dewure, Pamushana, Mt Pleasant, Cheziya, Lord Malvern among others, who are so passionate about football.

“Credit to the heads in charge of soccer Mr Chiromo, Mr Austin Hakunavanhu, Mr Albert Mucheka and those who were involved in administration of the game.

“Most of the players who participated in the league to date are purely products of the same. In 2005 we won the tournament because we drew most of our players from Agatha Sheneti Academy and Aces Youth Soccer Academy and it was easy for the team to gel.

“They were part of the Nash and schools system and (were involved) in the Coca-Cola tournament,” added Dhlakama.

Mucheka is now the national head in charge of Nash football. This year’s edition was launched at Rusununguko High School.