The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
LAST Wednesday was no ordinary assembly at Mpopoma High School as learners got to celebrate milestone achievements by their peers at the recently held Copa Coca-Cola national finals which took place in Kadoma.
At the tournament, the Mpopoma girls made history when they became the first school from Bulawayo to win the Copa Coca-Cola since sponsorship for females was added in 2011. The James Rugwevera-coached lasses defeated Nyamauru of Manicaland 5-4 on penalties after the match had ended 0-0 in full-time. It was sweet victory for the Priscilla Marikosi-captained Mpopoma who lost 2-1 to the same team in the final at last year’s tournament held in Zvishavane.
Not to be outdone, the Mpopoma boys also fought hard at the tournament where they eventually finished third having been beaten by Prince Edward of Harare prior to overcoming Vimbai 2-1 in the third place play-off.
The victorious girls and boys were paraded at assembly where the rest of the school got to see their heroines as well as heroes who did them proud in Kadoma.
An air of excitement filled the landlocked school as they are still celebrating their conquest at the Copa Coca-Cola national finals. Rugwevera, who is also the Mpopoma sports director, summed up the atmosphere at the school following their success in Kadoma.
“That excitement is still there, you see even the mood of these learners at the school, the mood of the teachers, the mood of everyone, our community as Mpopoma High School, we are really high. Learners are happy, teachers are happy, even parents are happy, they are calling us giving us congratulatory messages. We are also happy with that,’’ Rugwevera said.
He attributed the team’s success to a lot of hard work which saw the coaches and the players putting in extra effort.
Mpopoma High School 15 years and under girls football coach James Rugwevera (middle) with his assistant Sisasenkosi Mapungwana (right) and kit manager Samantha Nleya (left) carrying the trophies they won at the Copa Coca-Cola national finals in Kadoma
“To be honest it took a lot of time out of myself, out of the kids, out of the school itself. Sometimes you find out that even at home you find them complaining that ‘hey, your sporting activities are taking everything ahead of us,’ because we used to come for weekend matches, during the school days, during the holidays, we actually would be preparing for such a thing and a lot of time was consumed in the process,’’ he said.
Mpopoma also benefited from the decision by the sponsors to change the age group of the Under-15 to 15 years and under which saw the bulk of the players who lost that final to Nyamauru being eligible again this year.
“The girls are Forms Twos so they have been together for two years, they are the same kids who went to Zvishavane and after Zvishavane where they came position two, we were given another lifeline when Coca-Cola decided to take 15 and under that included them. So they have been together for two years and that actually helped us to continue training the same team that we know reached the same level.”
Winning a tournament like Copa Coca-Cola is such a huge achievement and Mpopoma are looking to defend their title next year. Rugwevera believes the same effort they put in this year should be matched in their quest to be champions again in 2020.
“The same amount of effort that we put in the first instance will also be the same amount of effort that we should put if ever we are to realise the dream of going back to the finals. It’s not only about going to the national finals but conquering Bulawayo it’s not easy, there is Magwegwe, Sobukhazi, all those schools they also want to go the national finals.
“What we are going to do, straight from now, I am going to talk to the girls and agree on the path that we are going to take to the nationals. They know it very well that it involves a lot of hard work and we are going to just do that,’’ Rugwevera said.
The school’s headmaster, Christopher Dube, a man Rugwevera said has greatly assisted the teams is excited about the Copa Coca-Cola achievements.
“Our headmaster is on cloud nine, he is very happy with the achievement, this achievement is not only for the sports department, the administrators they actually come in by providing transport, by bringing food, by encouraging us to keep on working hard, we won together with them.”
Having achieved something that no school from Bulawayo had done since 2011, the Mpopoma girls can walk with their heads held high up since they are the talk of the whole school.
