Mighty Warriors coach Sithethelelwe “Kwinji 15” Sibanda says her team is "cooking something good" as they prepare to start their journey in the COSAFA Women’s Championship.
The coach is currently leading a major rebuilding project. Her goal is to create a strong team for the future by bringing in many talented young players.
Sibanda explained that the team has been working hard since December to integrate new faces. She sees this tournament as a vital test for her young squad.
“We are looking to make something big, a project that can take us into the future hence we brought in the young players in December,” Sibanda said. “This tournament will help us see how much progress we have made and the amount of work that we still need to put in so we are ready.”
While she wants the team to win, she also asked fans to be patient because many of the players are still gaining experience.
“A number of players are still new, the COSAFA is their first real tournament so while we need results, we also have to be patient with the process,” she noted. “This time we will be able to really test and see if we are in the right direction with our plan to build a team that will take us to the continental stage... so it is a step at a time.”
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The Mighty Warriors are in Group B and will play their first match against Eswatini tomorrow. They will also face tough competition from Zambia and Botswana. To reach the semi-finals, they must finish at the top of their group or be the best runner-up.
After a two-week training camp in Harare focusing on fitness and mental strength, the coach says the girls are "raring to go."
“I am happy that we arrived safely, allowed the girls to rest and today we will do some training and get ready for battle tomorrow,” she said. “So far all has been going on well, our preparations were okay and as a coach I could see improvements showing that we are cooking something good.”
Sibanda knows what it takes to win. She was a player in the 2011 team that won Zimbabwe’s only COSAFA gold medal. Now, she wants to win a second gold medal as a coach.
Despite exiting early in the last tournament, Sibanda is confident that her team can compete with anyone.
“We have all the belief and quiet confidence that we will give every opponent a good run... our girls are raring to go and I believe that self-belief can take us far,” she concluded
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