Ladies, where are you?

THERE is a growing concern over women footballers’ lack of exposure to academies, a trend which analysts say has affected the country’s performance on the international stage.

As Zimbabwe prepares to host the women’s Cosafa Cup tournament, the increasing shortage of female participation at soccer academies has raised alarm.

Zimbabwe hosts the Cosafa Women Championships from September 13-24 and the Mighty Warriors are already in camp at the ZIFA Village.

BN Academy director Bhekimpilo Nyoni said girls should take advantage of football schools to enhance their technique.

“If you look at it, we have about five girls only at our academy and they are not enough to make up a team,” said Nyoni.

“Girls should be exposed to academies at a tender age so that by the time they play senior football they will not struggle with the basics.

“We have organised various workshops to be held by the end of year and some even stretching to August 2018 but there are no female teams that will participate and that is my major concern right now.”

Nyoni exchanged notes with junior football tutors during his recent tour of the United Kingdom.

“The girl child should take advantage of such platforms to enhance their knowledge and talent of soccer as a sport.

“The BN academy is inviting young girls aged from 15 to 19 to join the academy if they are talented in soccer, the sport is male-dominated and it is evident even by the number of girls at the academy but girls who love football or any other sport should be given a chance”

The BN director also announced the coming of the Zimbabwean-UK Under-17 soccer coach and said parents should use the opportunity to sign in their kids for the awesome experience.

“We are very delighted to have the Zim-UK Under-17 coach Trevor Kenneth coming to teach these kids football”

“The tour has been slated for 11 to 18 December respectively and all the current members of the BN Academy will benefit, hence the invitation for more members especially girls to join in and be part of this awesome experience ahead,“he said.

“We have also arranged a tour to the CV Academy in the United Kingdom scheduled for August 2018. The details are still sketchy but we have so far managed to finalise the trip,” Nyoni said.