Staff Reporter
Former Zimbabwe Basketball captain, Menard Masawi, has revealed that there is bad management of the sport although the standard of play has improved.
The Raiders coach, who is now 43, said that there is no quality and good management in the local basketball scene.
“The standard of play is much improved although we tend to lack good management to run the sport. In terms of quality and good management, no. We have to improve the sport by coming up with quality games and good officiating and also market the sport so that it appeals to a wider fan base,” said Masawi.
He revealed that he feels that in his playing days the game was better organized and the league was very competitive.
“HBA was very competitive and the organisation was of high quality. There was a lot of professionalism in the approach in running the sport,” said Masawi.
The former Highdon Raiders player recalled that his best team mate was Simba Nyaruwata and his fierce competition came from Cameo.
“Simbarashe Nyamariwata at Varsity Leopards and Cameo was my most challenging opposition. The players from way back had more passion than what we see nowadays. To be able to play at the highest level possible in the national team for nearly a decade is testament to that,” he added.
The former guard said that although the game was his passion, he does not miss playing.
“I had a very long and very competitive playing career. I was voted player of the tournament in Zambia at the ZINABOZA games in 2006 and I captained Zimbabwe in Mozambique at the Zone 6 qualifiers. I am retired and coaching has become my main focus,” said Masawi.
The Raiders coach said that young players were doing well but he would not encourage young players to take up the sport as a career given the current state of the economy.
“They have made giant strides internationally and some of the players are now playing overseas which is very good for the game. I would encourage young players to take the sport as a career only that the economy is not performing very well and it can be very difficult for a young player to afford gear that is required,” he said.
Menard Masawi is one of the legends of basketball to hail from Dzivarasekwa. His career could be inspiration to young players who wish to take up the game.
