Story by Lawrence Trusida, Sports Editor
ZIMBABWE basketball national team captain, Vitalis Chikoko, who plays professionally for SIG Strasbourg in France, has challenged youngsters to work hard if they want to play at the highest level.
He made these remarks as he officially opened two multi-purpose courts at a local school in Harare this Saturday.
The lanky centre has been playing professional basketball for the past 15 years, having started his career in Germany.
He is currently based in France at SIG Strasbourg, where he has won two league titles and was named the Most Valuable Player in those championship runs.
Chikoko was the guest of honour at Maranatha High School, where he opened the new courts.
“I played soccer and basketball when I was young, but basketball was always number one, I had injuries when I was growing up. When I was in high school, I broke my hand twice, but I never gave up. I played in high school, I played at Churchill, I played at Prince Edward. Sport is all about hard work, I want to challenge you to work hard and shun drugs and you can achieve your dreams,” said Chikoko.
The school is committed to seeing its students thrive both in and out of the classroom.
“We as Maranatha believe in the education of the whole child, total education of the child, and we want to make sure that every child who passes through Maranatha excels in both academics and the co-curricular areas. We are investing strongly in sports because we are aware. We know that sport can give our children a livelihood,” Mr Evermore Chakwizira, Principal of Maranatha High School said.
In addition to the new courts, the school is in the process of building an Olympic-size swimming pool to further develop its sporting facilities.
