By Yvonne Sakala –
ZAMBIA Volleyball Association (ZAVA) will this weekend shift its attention to Western Province where they will host a pre-season volleyball tournament for teams in the region.
Association General Secretary Charles Haambote said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that the ZAVA association had managed to hold the pre-season competitions in four provinces and was still going round on a Talent Identification Programme (TIP).
He said the teams that emerge as winners in both men and women categories in these competitions automatically qualifies to play in the Zava Open tournament scheduled for Lusaka this monthend.
Initially, the association had set April 16-17 for the ZAVA Open but changed the dates because there were provinces yet to complete their pre-season competitions.
He said that once the all provinces were done with their competition, the association would set dates for the ZAVA Open.
The provinces that had so far played their pre-season competition are Central, Copperbelt, Lusaka and North-Western.
Haambote said the association was impressed with the response of the teams in these regions, saying that the pre-season competition would give a chance to the teams that never take part in various Zava national tournaments.
He said the process of going into provinces would increase the number of teams participating in the final competitions and that would raise the standard of the sport in the country.
“The response from the team is overwhelming I think it’s a good thing to do in promoting the sport in other regions. In the past, only few teams from Lusaka and the Copperbelt would participate in the national tournament.
“But with this programme it will give an opportunity to these teams from rural areas to be part and parcel of the sport and take part in the national championships,” Haambote said.
Indeni, Ndola Select and Kitwe Flight Spikers will represent the Copperbelt with Kabwe sending Kabwe Rubbers men and women teams and Prisons.
Lusaka will be represented by Green Eagles, Nkwazi, Green Buffaloes and City of Lusaka.