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Women`s soccer becoming more popular
2007-06-22 08:35:39
By David Stanley
Indeed it was proved to the majority of Zimbabweans that women can play soccer which was something that many never thought women could do.
It was the return leg between Zimbabwe`s women soccer team and the South African side which was played on Saturday last week in Harare`s Rufaro Stadium in Mbare suburb.
All roads led to Rufaro Stadium on that blessed Saturday. The match was a Beijing 2008 Olympic qualifying game.
Even with a final score of 3 – 2 in favour of South Africa, most of the spectators were impressed by the standard of soccer that was displayed in this game.
Zimbabwe lost the match alright but most of the spectators admitted that it was really a match worth seeing and they got value for their money.
Until recently, Zimbabwe cared little about women soccer and the standard of women soccer in the country was really poor.
Only a few spectators would turn up to watch a game and even fewer would endure the full ninety minutes of the game.
That the standard of women soccer was very poor in the country was also evidenced by the score line which would be ridiculous like 11 – 2 or something like that.
This only showed that women soccer was still in its infant stage.
Some people who were asked by reporters after the recent match expressed their satisfaction at the standard of play and went on to say that the women soccer in the country had reached a level of maturity.
The players had flashes of talent and the game was generally exciting.
Others said that if sponsorship in women soccer is increased then the sky will be the limit for the women team as they showed that they have got the potential.
They explained that a combination of talent and proper funding would see the team reach great heights in the game.
But one of the spectators had a different opinion.
He said that women have always been involved in various sporting activities except that just like most of our history; these activities were not recorded and their achievents have not been recognised.
He noted, however, that in recent years there has been an increase in women participation in sports raising public interest.
Previously sport was subjugated by culture, tradition and religion which prevented women from fully flourishing in sport.
It is evident that the number of medals being won by women in Africa has also increased in different disciplines.
Important to note is the fact that women have taken a long time to make their mark in sports activities for various reasons.
Generally, in many African countries women have been segregated, what with the strict dress code and the culture that confines women in their homes.
There is also the issue of sponsorship. Many companies , insitutions and individuals alike formerly were more willing to finance men in sports competitions with the result that sportsmen became more developed that their women counterparts.
Things are changing now but still many sponsors are not willing to sponsor women sporting activities and it is this hurdle that we have to do away with.
The inclusion of women sporting activities on the national budget is still one thing that is not being done by many African governments.
Yet this is not something which can be accomplished in a day, it is a process that needs investing in time and money.
Nevertheless the signs are now clear that the process had begun and sportswomen in the country would flourish in the near future.
This year the Commercial bank of Zimbabwe (CBZ) Cup has also been extended to women.
A tantalizing Z$40 million is on offer for the winners while the losers will pocket Z$20million.
The CBZ Holdings will meet the costs of the women`s finalists` transport, accommodation and token allowances.
This sponsorship is a great stride in promoting women soccer and will definitely expose otherwise hidden talents.
This undertaking by CBZ has given women the chance to show the world that they can do what men do and earn a living out of it.
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