The Sunday News
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO’S emerging junior football development powerhouse, Biya4 Academy held its awards ceremony last Thursday to motivate their footballers at Luveve Youth Centre.
Despite failing to win the age-groups titles in the Zifa Bulawayo Junior League, Biya4 Academy awarded 10 footballers from their Under-13s, 15s, 17 and their Division Three.
The Gwabalanda-based academy had their Under-15s and 17s finishing as runners-up in their respective leagues, with the Division Three outfit that uses Under-17 footballers as well as those who are ineligible for junior league ended the season a distant 11th.
Award winners from the Under-13 team which finished the season fourth on the table behind champions Highlanders, Chicken Inn and Cowdray Park Tigers were Bright Madzandire (Most Disciplined), Top Goal scorer with 17 goals Wesley Twala and Tinotenda Mavute (Player of the Year).
Michael Tembo won the Under-15 Player of the Year gong, with Sibusiso Ndlovu who banged in 13 goals taking the top marksman award in the category while the Most Disciplined award went to Mmolokole Ncube.
Polite Nxumalo, who is Under-17 won the Division Three Player of the Year. Dumisani Mpofu was voted the Under-17 Player of the Year, with Busisani Mkhwebu who hit a massive 27 goals getting the Golden Boot award while Antony Mazero took home the Most Disciplined Player accolade.
Mandla Moyo, Biya4 Academy chairman said: “Today we had a very momentous occasion as we awarded outstanding players for the 2022 season. It was a difficult, challenging year but we feel it was important to award players so that they stay motivated. Our hope is that one day we will produce world class players who will play beyond our borders.”
Thulani “Biya” Ncube
Former Highlanders and national team captain Thulani “Biya” Ncube, who is based in the United States and is one of the academy directors, Zifa Bulawayo province chairman Francis Ntutha were among notable guests at the awards ceremony.
Biya4 Academy recently held a football camp for 60 youngsters at the Grassroot Soccer Fifa Centre in Gwabalanda. Aspiring footballers who attended this camp were taken through their paces, with a main focus on dribbling, passing, shooting and ball control. -@ZililoR
