THIS week’s announcement by the Government that sporting activities are allowed to resume but subject to strict adherence to Covid-19 prevention measures and protocols gives some hope for schools’ sport.
Suburban Reporter
Since the first lockdown in March last year, the school athletes have been rendered inactivity as the Government banned all sporting activities as part of measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Although some less contact sport would from time to time be allowed to resume training and hold matches, for the large part school athletes have been inactive because of the pandemic.
“Following representations from the various sectors of the economy, Cabinet resolved and wishes to inform the nation as follows: to allow the resumption of sporting activities subject to strict observance of COVID-19 prevention measures and protocols. Attendant staff should also be vaccinated,” Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa told a post-Cabinet media briefing.
She said for all local activities in which the participants are below the age of 14, they shall, in all cases be checked for Covid-19 symptoms, have regular temperature checks and follow social distancing protocols while those aged 14 and above will be encouraged to get vaccinated.
“Athletes/children aged 14 to 18 years are highly recommended to get vaccinated, and the National Sports Associations can work with Sport and Recreation Commission to get this done,” Minister Mutsvangwa said.
She also said Government had resolved that gymnasia, health spas and fitness centres will be allowed to open but only to vaccinated clientele while all Sports Clubs must ensure that their coaches, managers and any support staff are vaccinated.
Schools sport, which is a key component of junior sports development, had terribly suffered to suffer due to the Covid-19 pandemic since last year. Last year, schools closed in March following the promulgation of a national lockdown and reopened in October but without extra curricula activities such as sports on the calendar.
While the development ensured school children were safe during the pandemic, it affected budding athletes who missed the busy National Secondary School Heads (NASH) and National Association of Primary School Heads (NAPH) calendar.
When schools closed early in March last year, the athletics season, which was underway, was affected as the provincial and national competitions were called off. This year the schools’ athletics season was not held while sports such as soccer and rugby which are normally played from May to August during the second term have also not been held.
Last year, the ball games did not take place as well including the traditional tournaments such as the Copa Cola Games.
NASH president Arthur Maphosa told our sister publication The Herald that it was a missed opportunity which was heartbreaking.
“Our learners have been affected big time. Ball games, which normally take centre stage in term two and three, have been shelved. Covid-19 has dealt a body blow to our athletes.
“Imagine missing the most exciting sports event in the Nash calendar such as the Under-15 Copa Coca-Cola football games.
“Athletes missed monetary prizes and missed opportunities of being selected into the football Coca-Cola dream team, which travels annually to East Africa for regional finals.
“For the first time, our boys reached the finals last year (2019).
“We had hoped to get to the finals again in 2020 and avenge that painful defeat to Tanzania in 2019.
“It is every young player’s dream to represent his or her country and to fly in an airplane to different places.
“That the feel-good factor was thwarted by the pandemic and some learners will be above 15 in 2021.
“Never again to play in the Coca-Cola finals, it hurts,” Maphosa said last year.
Maphosa said the missed opportunities will have ripple effects for the athletes, some whom were supposed to get selected into national teams.
However, when learning resumed in October last year a number of private schools were participating in some sports following clearance by the relevant sporting bodies. Some of the school athletes were even selected into the Zimbabwe Team for the recently held Olympics in Japan and other international events in disciplines such as rowing. This time of the year normally sees activity in cricket, swimming, tennis and basketball but given some of the athletes are due to start their public examinations in October for those writing Cambridge, which means they will also miss out. But there is some hope for the non-examination athletes.