Story by Raynald Ngwarati
ZIMBABWE’s Senior Ladies’ volleyball team have begun training ahead of the Zone Six volleyball championships set to be held on home soil next month.
With Harare set to host the Zone VI netball championships at a date to be specified between 23 September and 1 October this year, the Zimbabwe Ladies Volleyball team have started training ahead of the tournament.
With a blend of youngsters and experienced players, 28 ladies are in the training camp with the group expected to be trimmed to 20.
However, after the first day of training head coach Vulindlela Moyo is hopeful foreign-based players will reinforce his team.
“We’ve girls who playing outside, maybe those two if they come, Melody Moyo and Jennifer Tembo they play in the Malawi league. Maybe if we rope in those two we will have a formidable side,” said coach, Vulindlela Moyo.
“So far from the morning drills we have done so far we’re almost at par everyone seems to have been working before the camp so that’s good for us. People have been at their clubs but still working so when we’re here it’s just about combining efforts. So far we’re not bad,” said Mellissa Marasha a senior player.
The tournament is set to be the first national teams’ competition to be hosted by the Zimbabwe Volleyball Association, despite the body consistently sending teams to various editions of the competition since 2016.
“We are now a preferable sporting destination, it also means that we’re growing as a sport in Zimbabwe so we’re very excited to host these games,” said ZVA administrator, Eugenia Mandeya.
Zimbabwe is targeting a podium finish and is utilising the two training days to fine-tune the team ahead of the tournament.
20 senior national teams consisting of both genders will face off in Harare for a period of 15 days as they target regional honours.