Pamushana, Mpopoma vie for Stella Tea Netball cup

By Mbekezeli Ncube

Mpopoma and Pamushana High Schools will battle it out at Thornhill High School, Gweru in the Stella Tea Cup to be held this weekend.

Twelve schools will feature in the tournament that will commence from the 25th to the 26th of July 2019. These schools include Mabhikwa (Matabeleland North), Mnene (Midlands), Plumtree (Matabeleland South), Parirewa (Mashonaland East), Mvurwi (Mashonaland Central), Pamushana (Masvingo), St Peters (Harare), Mpopoma (Bulawayo), Mweyamutsvene (Manicaland) and Mhangura (Mashonaland West).

Pamushana are the most successful team in the tournament having won the cup in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2018, their closest competitors are Bulawayo's Sikhulile High who clinched the trophy in 2016 and 2017.

Mpopoma have a very tough fixture as their first encounter will be against high flying Pamushana, however the girls will go to the tournament full of confidence bouyed by the success of their football girls counterparts who recently bagged the Copa Coca-Cola title to in Kadoma.

'This time we are holding the tournament against a backdrop of an increased interest in netball in the country. People must come and cheer the children for this is where players that go on to represent the country come from,' Tanganda marketing executive, Tsitsi Kumadiro told Next Level Sports TV.

'As Tanganda Tea Company through our brand. Stella tea, we are committed to uplifting schools' sports and build communities for a healthy and sustainable life. We believe that sport is a vehicle for development that is why we support schools' netball,' she added.

Nash president, Arthur Maphosa said.

'We forever cherish the valuable support we continue to receive from Tanganda. Such mutually beneficial relationships help to nurture talent that will be fed to the national team. What Gems did in Liverpool is a product of competitions such as this one, we are grateful to the sponsors,'

After these games, a squad will be selected to represent the country at this year's Confederation of Schools Sport Associations of Southern Africa (Coccassa) Games.

'We have been holding this competition for a long time and as Tanganda we are saying let us do our part in making a difference for our girls, let us help them keep fit and active, away from destructive behavior,' Tanganda national sales and administration manager, Farai Garai said.

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