The tournament, which seeks to develop girls football and life skills, is sponsored by the United States (US) embassy Public Affairs Section in cooperation with the National Association of Secondary School Heads (NASH) and the Mbare Sports for Development (MSD).
The tournament will benefit 150 girls from eight Harare schools.
The US embassys Public Affairs Section, which houses an Education USA advising centre, will also provide information about education and sports scholarships for participating girls.
We are pleased to be part of this initiative that will see young girls in Harare enhance their football skills while at the same time learning important life skills such as teamwork, a healthy lifestyle and rights of the individual, said Tim Gerhardson, public affairs officer at the US embassy.
Through sports, a number of Zimbabwean students have earned scholarships to study at US colleges and universities, he said, adding; The US embassy in Harare is supporting the Goals for Girls programme to encourage young people to achieve their own goals, whether in sports or in life.
In the lead up to the 2010 World Cup, this seemed like a sports diplomacy programme that would catch the spirit of Zimbabwean youth and contribute to the development of football in the country.
Tournament coordinator Ezra Zigarwe told local media that the football tournament and life skills training will influence both the girls and their coaches.
“The tournament is targeting girls and this course will equip the coaches with information about how to enable girls to cope with the various challenges they face at home and in school. Ultimately, we want to improve their football skills and their social awareness, said Zigarwe.
Post published in: Zimbabwe Sports News