The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
WHEN your father and grandfather have both represented the country in two different sports, that tends to put pressure on any youngster showing talent in any discipline.
For Harry Streak, whose father Heath and grandfather Denis have donned national colours, there is high expectation on him to succeed. The 12-year-old Harry, who is doing Grade Seven at Petra Primary School in Bulawayo, is already showing a lot of potential in cricket, football, rugby and swimming. He has worn provincial colours in cricket and rugby.
Last year, Harry was part of the Matabeleland Duikers team which went to the Owen Davies Trophy a Saint John’s Preparatory School where they finished bottom from last in the tournament.
He was picked at flyhalf, something Duikers team manager Trevor Chapenga said was rare for someone still with a year left in junior school. Chapenga, one of the coaches who have looked after Harry since he made the switch from Whitestone to Petra in Grade Three described the lad as full of potential and is destined for big things in sport.
“It is rare for a Grade Six child to get that flyhalf jersey, he has got a lot of potential especially for a child who has grown up with a father who is a sportsman. Heath is not trying to making a mini mode of himself, the only sport that he doesn’t play is hockey.
This is a child who is going to go far, he is going to be one of those exceptional kids we are going to see, he is more inclined to cricket or rugby.
He is yet to reach his full potential but he is on the way there. Not far from now, we will see him getting Zimbabwe colours,’’ said Chapenga.What has really impressed his coaches is not only his ability on the sporting field but off it as well. Unlike other kids who fail to handle the pressure of losing, Chapenga said Harry deals well with defeat in whatever sport.
“As a character, he has good sportsmanship, he can deal with a defeat, he is not one of those kids who throw tantrums, he is a team player,’’ said Chapenga.
Harry’s parents, Heath and Nadine, whenever time permits are ever present by the pitch side to give the much needed support to their son whenever he is in action.
Naturally, Heath has played a massive role in Harry’s sporting career as a mentor as well as a coach as he represented the country in cricket and rugby. He is well aware that because Harry carries the Streak surname, there will always be a lot of expectation for him to excel in sport. Born 5 February 2005, the same year that his father retired from international cricket, Heath says Harry has always loved sport since he started walking.
“I am very proud especially as he works hard on his game. I try mentor and guide him, I have coached him as much as possible when I am around but also use my academy coaches and other cricket friends to coach him. Although I want him treated the same, people judge him harder as they just expect my son to be good. The truth is he works hard, he trains three times a week and one or two matches, I hope people can appreciate that its his efforts that get him to where he is,’’ said Heath.
Last Saturday, Harry was one of the outstanding players on the second day of the Falcon College Junior Schools Cricket Festival. With his magnificent batting, Harry led Petra to victory in three of the four matches they played on the last day of the fiesta with their only defeat coming against Ruzawi.
With the tournament rules which stated that a batsman should retire after scoring 20 runs in the 10-overs a side competition, Harry was only dismissed once throughout the festival.
Unlike his father, who started off as a bowler before he developed into an all rounder, Harry is equally good with batting and bowling. He bats up the order and bowls pace. Last Saturday, Heath kept urging his son to bowl quicker but with the bowlers only sending down one over each, Harry did not manage to pick up a lot of wickets.
Heath has made a decision on his son’s future with Harry destined for his father’s former school, Falcon College next year where he is expected to develop into even a better sportsman. On which sport he prefers his offspring to pursue going into the future, Heath wants the boy to focus on all the disciplines so that the country can have as much multi talented sportsman.
“I want Harry to play all the four sports that he is playing now, that’s why Zimbabweans excel as they are multi-sportsmen and develop all round athletic ability skills,’’ Heath said.
Harry’s grandfather Denis represented Zimbabwe in cricket before as well as after independence and has been has also donned national colours in lawn bowls.
His father was not only a brilliant all rounder in international cricket but was also picked for the Zimbabwe Under-19 rugby team at fullback and centre.
With such inspiration surrounding him, there is no doubt that Harry will surely excel in whatever sporting career he chooses to pursue.
With the potential he is displaying, it looks certain that they will be another Streak wearing national colours in a few years time.
@Mdawini_29
