Real Betis Academy Zimbabwe set to kick start its presence in Bulawayo

The Real Betis Academy Zimbabwe project is finally set to kick start its presence in the country’s second city of Bulawayo with the first training and enrolment day set for 11 March at Barbourfields Stadium’s B Arena, the academy has confirmed.

“We are glad to confirm that our Campus in Bulawayo has finally opened and our first training and enrolment day will be conducted on 11 March at the Barbourfields B Arena,” Betis Academy Zimbabwe wrote on their Facebook page.

Legendary Highlanders FC striker Zenzo Moyo was tasked to lead the initiative while his former team mates Johannes “Tshisa” Ngodzo and Gift “Thebe” Lunga Jnr were appointed academy’s coaches.

“Zenzo Moyo will lead our Management Team and Gift Lunga Jnr and Johanes Ngodzo will resume their Technical duties,” further reads the Facebook post.

Initially, Real Betis Academy Zimbabwe’s initiative started in Harare in 2020 after the academy’ president Gerald Sibanda’s sports agency Athletes Sphere Management entered into a partnership with La Liga side Real Betis Balompie.

They went on to launch another centre in Bulawayo in March 2022 with Sibanda saying the vision was to identify and nurture football talent across the country.

“Our national development program is going as planned and very happy to have established the Betis Academy centre in Bulawayo,” said Sibanda in March 2022.

“Real Betis is here to develop football in Zimbabwe. We will do our best to grow grassroots football around the country through our Elite Academy Program and the football school.”