By GWEN CHIPASULA –
ZAMBIA Hockey Association (ZHA) needs K520,000 to send two Under-21 teams to Namibia for the Africa Junior Championships slated for March in Windhoek.
ZHA intends to send a 45-member delegation that will comprise 18 women and men’s teams with nine officials to the tournament that will run from March 18 to 28.
The tournament, which will also act as qualifier for the World Junior Cup, will see the winners and runners-up clinch places at the championship set for Chile in December.
ZHA coordinator Thomas Mumba said in an interview yesterday that the association would be hoping to get the much-needed help from the Ministry of Sports because they were sending their national teams.
Mumba said ZHA was confident the two teams would qualify for the World Cup and that having a women and men’s team would brighten the chances.
“Right now we are just waiting for our local organising committee to meet with the ministry officials so that we see how this budget can be met. It is the national teams going, so we cannot do this on our own. We need the help from the Government,” Mumba said.
He said ZHA had not raised any money towards the budget yet and appealed to the cooperate world to come to their aid.
Mumba, who also doubles as national coach, said players were looking forward to representing Zambia and that morale was high in training.
The teams have been training for the tournament at the Olympic Youth Development Centre since January 11.