By Shamaine Chirimujiri
TOP local volleyball sides Naba and Support Unit stole the limelight during the Harare Volleyball Association mid-season Open tournament that was staged at Mufakose Community Centre recently.
At least 18 volleyball teams clashed in the open tournament that was staged in partnership with the Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and Drug Network (ZCLDN).
The tournament, held under the themes “Taking Volleyball to the Community” and “Fighting Drug and Substance use is Our Collective Responsibility”, brought together both men’s and women’s teams in a thrilling display of skill and teamwork.
And in the exciting finals, the Naba men`s volleyball team outclassed UZ Wolves 3-1, while Support Unit were also victorious over UZ Wolves in the women`s volleyball match.
The tournament’s top servers were also recognised, with Kudakwashe Tawuya of Naba Rachel Muvirimi of Harare City taking the Best Server honours and a cash prize.
“I’m so happy to have won the best server in the tournament because I wasn’t expecting it considering there were a number top players in contention and it was quite challenging.
“We just want to thank the organisers of such a tournament and we hope for more tournaments like this one and the prizes which come with winning also serve as a great motivation for us to raise our game as players,” said the 24-year-old Muvirimi, who has been a Harare City player since 2021.
Naba coach Kudzai ‘Sparx’ Bakayidza was the toast of the tournament after receiving the Best Coach award, but he refused to bask in the glory alone, instead praising his team’s unity and hard work for making their championship victory a reality.
“As we approached the tournament the players knew the gravity of the event and it inspired them to give maximum effort. They had a unity of purpose mentality and physically they were prepared.
“It is a great honour and I am humbled to have received the best coach award. I didn’t expect it but will always give credit to the boys, the club executive, club stakeholders at large and the Almighty for without them I am nothing,” Bakayidza said.
Speaking on the sidelines of the tournament, ZCLDN director Wilson Box reflected on the event, stating that the large turnout had provided a valuable opportunity to reach out and educate a significant number of people.
“We’re not just about soccer; we’re incorporating various sports like volleyball to engage diverse communities and uncover hidden talents.
“Our goal is to empower individuals with knowledge on minimising the effects of drug use through harm reduction strategies,” said Box, who added: “Our gender-inclusive tournament aimed to educate young people about drug and substance use, promoting harm-reduction services and distributing vital IEC materials to drive positive change even fliers.
“Going forward we are looking forward to working with the government and doing some capacity building programs to assist communities,” he said.
On his part, Harare Volleyball Association vice chairperson Vengai Nyaude said their thrust was to take volleyball to the community, lobbying young adults to refrain from taking drugs while also raising awareness against child marriages.
“Our goal is to make sure that everyone in communities participates in these edutainment tournaments,” said Nyaude.
The HVA vice-chairperson also commended organisations that had supported the tournament, noting that financial constraints were one of the main challenges hindering them to reach a wide population as he wished for.
“In the past we would host our tournaments at other institutions such as the University of Zimbabwe, Support Unit and Morris Depot among others.
“When we started hosting tournaments in Mufakose, we struggled to get funds to buy balls, uniforms among others for the juniors here to start playing but we would like to thank our sponsors ZCLDN, Mandipa, and Youth by Youth, Mufakose Community Centre, Rural Electrification Fund and the ministry of Sports for then coming in to support us; assisting with refreshments, educating, awards and obviously the venue,” he added