And can you believe that Nomsa “Boyz” Moyo — the Mighty Warriors captain — once featured in the Peter Ndlovu Youth Tournament for boys?
Yes, for boys. And she played two games in that tournament before then headmaster at Mzilikazi High School, Cuthbert Chiromo, stopped her!
That’s where the nickname Boyz came from.
“I used to play with boys all the time. When I went to Sobukhazi I even played in the boys’ soccer team. I remember that I once played in the Peter Ndlovu Tournament and when Mzilikazi High headmaster Cuthbert Chiromo discovered that I was a girl, he refused to let me play the third match of the tournament,” she said.
She spoke to NewsDay Sport yesterday ahead of the Mighty Warriors-Angola Zone VI All-Africa Games second round, second-leg qualifier at Rufaro Stadium Sunday.
Moyo burst onto the local scene playing alongside incumbent Mighty Warriors coach Rosemary Mugadza, Sithandekile Mathobela, Ruth Nyandoro and Sithethelelwe “Kwinji 15” Sibanda.
This crew was among the few women who changed the perception that football is a man’s sport in Zimbabwe.
They became a force to reckon with when they took part in the Cosafa tournament in 2002, where they lost to South Africa in the final.
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While most of the players she played with have moved on, Boyz has continued with her dance in football and her experience is expected to come in handy when they take on Angola Sunday.
Moyo’s passion for the sport started when she used to watch her brother Mike who turned out for Mbalabala side Shooting Stars.
Little did she know that it was going to start her long journey.
“My brother used to play for Shooting Stars from Mbalabala. I used to enjoy watching him play, that is when I started being interested in football,” she said.
Her playing days date back to when she was doing her primary education at Lozikeyi Primary School in Nguboyenja.
She played for Zimbabwe Saints when she was in Grade 5 before she moved to Highlanders Royals the following year.
She also played cricket at primary level, but she had great passion for football and even played in the Peter Ndlovu Youth Tournament whilst other players were not aware that she was a girl.
After playing school football, she joined a club called Gugulethu which later changed its name to New Orleans, a name that is synonymous with women’s soccer in Bulawayo and in football circles in the country.
“I played for the team until I later moved to South Africa to play for Ama-Indies from 2008-9,” she said. Moyo said women’s football in Zimbabwe has great potential if it was sponsored and given recognition like men’s football.
“Women’s football has potential but it needs to be sponsored. When I was in South Africa I enjoyed playing there because the league was more competitive because of sponsorship. It would also be good if we had a women’s league running like the men’s league,” she said. On how she has managed to stay in football for more than a decade, Moyo says it is down to good advice.
“I would like to urge girls who are interested in football to be disciplined and focused. They must be dedicated and listen to good advice and also train hard. Women’s soccer does not pay but they can get something when they play for the national team,” she said.
Moyo, a mother of one, said she draws inspiration from Dynamos captain Desmond Maringwa and lists English champions Manchester United as her favourite international team.
“I think Maringwa is a very good player. He is disciplined and he plays basic football.
Internationally, my favourite player is Lionel Messi but l am a Manchester United supporter,” she added.
Moyo was born on May 4 1983 at Marondera Polyclinic in Bulawayo.
