Earnest Makosa who was former Zimbawean team midfielder, achieves again as his team have some selected players who scooped a chance to play in the division one and some South African football.

Earnest Makosa started playing football in 1980 as a player for Dynamos , a Zimbabwe football club .He retired from playing football in 1998 and started coaching in 2007. He decided to form a soccer academy for the juniors and established a football team called Sport Family that is nurturing young footballers who are promising to be big names in Zimbabwean football.

“I wanted to be a professional coach in the premier league but I failed to have funds which were required for me to learn. I then decided to create my own team and coach young stars in Mufakose to develop the type of football they play", said Makosa.

This football team will also help the youth in Mufakose to stop drug abuse and other undecided decisions as they have something to do while at home as they are occupied almost everyday with training.

Sport Family focused mainly on under 20 youths and has been doing well since it's inception as some Masvingo schools would come and compete in Mufakose were the team is based. This provided an opportunity to spot talent by the schools which would offer scholarships of free learning to those young boy with talent.

“The schools used to come and play with us here in Mufakose and spot who they thought is the best player. They offered the players full scholarship while playing football if they passed their exams one would proceed with their education."

Makosa expressed his frustration at the fact that this noble initiative came to a sudden stop. "I don't know why the schools stopped doing that and this has disadvantaged our team and football at grass roots level as talent is now being lost with no one spotting it." he said.

Sport Family football club is based in Mufakose near Mhishi area, it doesn’t take players from other locations like Budiriro it is comprised of only Mufakose players as the owner believes other areas should come with their own other teams.

“I want to uplift my home ground, spot talent and give the disadvantaged a chance to show case their talent. “In other locations they are other teams that’s why i base in Mufakose which is my home ground,” said Makosa.

Sponsorship has been an issue on the Sport Family football team as they are not able to register all players to the ZIFA so they can be recognised by big teams or be bought to play for big teams in Zimbabwe. One cannot play for a big team or go for trials in Zimbabwe while not registered as a professional football player by ZIFA.

“We sometimes register one at a time because of lack of money, which is a disadvantage to other good players and to us since we create best players in the team. We end up registering only those we think are ready to go for trials, since we don’t have funds to register all of our players.

My team doesn’t have sponsorship which is a painful part in this journey as a coach and football owner,” he said.

There are a lot of problems faced when playing football in Zimbabwe especially these upcoming teams which include age rigging, sports wear and injuries to mention but a few.

“ There is a football board for Mufakose which deal with certain problems and create solutions while stopping certain problems to continue happening. This board helps us with transparency and there is less favouritism which promotes good practice and professionalism ."said Makosa

Makosa said players pay 3 dollars per year so as to cater for unexpected injuries but the problem is not all players are able to pay as some parents are not supportive when it comes to sports. Most players are students, school dropouts who doesn’t go to work and the burden will be on the coach’s shoulders.

“We are humbled to ask for sponsorship to anyone willing to help because I believe with all equipment and facilities we will create better players for Mufakose and the nation at large, He however said if a player is injured sometimes parents bring them back to the coach until the player have fully recovered as they claim it is the responsibility of the coach.

The pinnacle of Makosa's carrier as a club owner and coach is noted after his players were selected to play for Legends, a division one successful football club in Zimbabwe and some are set to join South African clubs .

“I’m happy i have players that have been selected and for some talks are underway. The biggest problem is that these clubs are supposed to give us money for players development which is packed at 10% of the money paid to the given player", concluded Makosa.

Football in Zimbabwe has declined in recent years as a result of poor funding and lack of proper structures at grass roots level. The Zimbabwean economy which is in its doldrums as crippled all social aspects of the economy including leisure and recreational together with sport.