Queens Sports Academy is slowly setting itself up as a hub for talent grooming in Central Province.
The club has three age group teams U-12, U-14, and U-16 as well as a senior team that is participating in the Central Province FAZ Division 2 League.
The plan behind the age-group teams is to groom talent and be able to supply the Province and the country at large.
“We want to groom talent in the province and be able to supply Super League teams and as well as the national team,” Team Manager Jackson Katoba told the ZamFoot Crew.
“The province has a lot of talented boys who need to be nurtured. We have boys from all the compounds like Makululu and the like. We working hard to ensure we produce the next Kalusha Bwalya, Enock Mwepu, Patson Daka, or Barbra Banda,” he added.
The Women’s team is participating in the FAZ Women’s National League which will enter its second-ever edition next month.
The team has already started preparations and they are aiming high this season.
“Preparations are going on well so far. We have some new players from Kasama, and they are looking sharp. This week we have just been working on the physical aspect and getting the players into shape,” Head coach Naomi Phiri told the ZamFoot Crew in an exclusive interview.
“This season our target is to finish in the top five. I believe it’s attainable with the commitment of our players and hard work,” she added.
The club has been heavily involved in working towards the self-sustainability of both the club and its players. In June last year, the proprietor and FAZ Women’s national representative Col Priscilla Katoba initiated a project to have Queens build a Chicken run to help them increase their income base.
Two months later the Academy bought land for construction of the Academy’s premises and other facilities. The land situated along the Kabwe/Ndola road just after Chindwin Barracks is expected to house several facilities including pitches, dormitories, and a sizable shopping center for the comfort of the players.
The Team is also looking at partners and sponsors to come on board as they keep growing the club and grooming local talent in Kabwe.
The majority of the girls who play in the national league come from different provinces and therefore stay at the Queens Academy camp house hence the team incurs huge costs for food and other necessities.
