Northern Region suspends School of Excellence

NORTHERN Region Women Soccer League has, this school holiday, deferred its National Foods School of Excellence (SOE) camp to pave the way for the setting up of an evaluation and monitoring committee for coaches across the country.

The committee will provide feedback on the SOE project’s activities, determine their impact and also look into the quality and effectiveness of its coaches.

National Foods SOE was created for young girls of ages 18-years and below to regroup during school holidays for mentorship towards the improvement of their football skills.

The program, which is also meant to develop into the national women’s team main feeder channel by attracting players from across the country, is expected to resume in August.

Previously, the SOE was meant to accommodate players from the Northern Region, before its expansion in December, 2023 to cater for all provinces.

The camps also equip the girl child with information relating to the dangers of early marriages, early sexual indulgences and drug and substance abuse.

NRWSL chairperson Peter Gonyora, who spearheads the program, said the deferment will allow for the authorities to audit its progress and as well improve on some aspects of the project.

“Our wish is for our women’s football to return to its glory days, remember we were at the Olympics at some point so we hope this project will help us in a long way,” said Gonyora.

“This school holiday we decided to shelve the program and focus on re-evaluation of all aspects of the SOE to see if we are getting the desired results, meeting our targets and as well identify areas that need improvement.”

Gonyora said the suspension will also allow for the SOE to smoothly engage with their patrons, Minister of Industry and Commerce Sithembiso Nyoni and Skills

Audit and Development Minister Paul Mavima on the best possible ways to further develop the project.

Last year, the SOE brought together 82 girls who were camped at Ellis Robins High School with the hope being for the program to accommodate more in the next camp.

“This is the time to sit with them and discuss without pressure on the progress so far and also get feedback from the patrons,” he said.

“This project has produced players who have made it to the national teams, and apart from that, it also keeps these girls away from the society ills which makes it vital and worthy to expand,” he said.

“We want to have vibrant grassroots junior structures that will produce quality players for the national teams and the two Ministers assist us by sourcing support and mobilising resources from across the world.”

Meanwhile, the NRWSL is set to host a pre-season tournament on April 6 at Ellis

Robins High School ahead of the league season which starts on April 13.

Nine teams have confirmed their participation this season with new kids Ngezi Platinum Queens and University of Zimbabwe having joined this year.

With a stadium crisis currently haunting Harare, all NRWS league games have been scheduled for Ellis Robins.

Gonyora said the region signed a fiveyear-long Memorandum of Understanding with the school, which will see both parties combining efforts for the maintenance of the facilities.

“We have agreed that as a region, we will see to the maintenance of the facilities and that we will only use these grounds for match days.

“Any team that wishes to train there will have to pay. The proceeds will be shared between the region and the school.

“The school has eight facilities and they have allowed us to use five so the noble way to thank them is for us to maintain the facilities.”