The ninth edition of the Under-20 Boys and Girls Orap Zenzele Isuzu Champions Cup (OZICC) kicks off in Bulawayo next week with organisers celebrating the growth of the tournament from a modest schools competition into a fully-fledged regional football showcase.
The tournament, sponsored by Orap and Isuzu, will run from June 26 to 27 and feature eight boys’ teams and eight girls’ teams drawn from four provinces — Bulawayo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South and Midlands.
Tournament coordinator Mthokozisi Moyo said the competition had come a long way since its inception in 2014.
“This is our ninth edition of the tournament,” Moyo said.
“We started in 2014 with eight boys’ teams and two girls’ teams, which came in as exhibition teams.
“Today we are very grateful because the tournament has grown to full strength with gender sensitivity.
“This year we have eight girls’ teams and eight boys’ teams coming for the championship,” Moyo said.
The boys’ competition will feature Gifford High School and Magwegwe High School from Bulawayo, Zezani High School and Tongwe High School from Beitbridge, Tsholotsho High and Somvubu High School from Matabeleland North, Zibankwe High School from Silobela as well as Rio Tinto High School and Guinea Fowl High School representing Midlands Province.
In the girls’ section, Bulawayo will be represented by Townsend and Mzilikazi high schools, while Midlands will field Murerezi, Chaplin and Guinea Fowl.
Somvubu and Mariangwe will represent Matabeleland North, while Empandeni High School will carry Matabeleland South’s hopes.
Moyo said the teams would be divided into two groups of four, with the top two sides from each pool progressing to the semi-finals.
“All the group matches and semi-finals will be played on June 26 while the finals will be played on June 27,” he said.
Townsend High School head and National Association of Secondary School Heads (Nash) Bulawayo chairperson Thoko Tshabalala said preparations were at an advanced stage, with participating schools ready to welcome teams from across the region.
The girls will be accommodated at Townsend while Gifford High School will host the boys and stage all the matches.
Tshabalala said the tournament continued to create opportunities for young footballers from rural communities.
“We are very excited about this tournament,” she said.
“It is exposing our learners to scouts and assisting learners from parts of the country that are not so well resourced.
“Some of the learners are coming to Bulawayo for the first time and some will be playing in boots for the first time because of donations that have been made.”
Isuzu representative Mike Blatch said the company remained committed to supporting community development through sport.
“On behalf of Auto World and Isuzu, we are very proud to once again be principal sponsors of the tournament,” Blatch said.
“Every year we want to take our tournament up a notch. The quality of the organisation continues to improve, as does the quality of football and participation from stakeholders.”
He paid tribute to the various partners supporting the event, including Zifa, schools, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and the Referees Association.
Orap programmes officer Stewart Mantula said the tournament aligns with the organisation’s youth development and wellness agenda.
“We work with rural communities and one of our strategic pillars is youth development and wellness,” Mantula said.
“Sport is one of the biggest aspects of our development work.
“Through this tournament we are empowering young people from rural areas, giving them an opportunity to interact with their peers and experience competitive football in a different environment.”
The tournament has become one of the leading schools football competitions in southern Zimbabwe, providing a platform for talented youngsters from often under-served communities to showcase their abilities while promoting gender equality in sport.