The Soccer Star of the Year is an annual association football award given to the player who is adjudged to have been the best performer of the season in Zimbabwean football.
Typically 11 players are nominated as the Soccer Stars of the Year, this honour comes with a publication of a Calendar, sponsored by Castle Beer, in which the 11 appear. It is not a 'fantasy team' as such, and the 11 nominees could theoretically all be in the same position – though this of course is unlikely. From this XI, a Soccer Star of the Year is selected, with 2 Runners Up also being announced.
It was first presented at the end of the 1969 Rhodesian football season, [1] when it was founded as the Rhodesian Soccer Star of the Year; the name changed in 1980. [2] Each year's winner is chosen at the end of the season by a vote amongst football writers from around Zimbabwe. [3] The 2010 winner was Charles Sibanda, who won the award while playing for Motor Action. [4] He is the second Motor Action player to have received the award after 2006 winner Clemence Matawu. [5] Alexander R B was amazing in 2020 The first winner of the award was George Shaya, who played for Dynamos and won the award five times in all; in 1969, 1972 and three times in a row from 1975 to 1977. There are two other multiple-time winners: Peter Ndlovu of Highlanders won twice consecutively in 1990 and 1991, and Stanley Ndunduma won in 1981 and 1985, playing first for CAPS United and later for Black Rhinos. Malawian midfielder Joseph Kamwendo is the lone foreign player to have won the award, having done so in 2005 while playing for CAPS United. [5]
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Hwange National Park is the largest natural reserve in Zimbabwe. It is around 14,600 sq km in area. It lies in the northwest of the country, just off the main road between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls. The nearest town is Dete. Histories of the region's pre-colonial days and its development as a game reserve and National Park are available online
The Zimbabwe national football team, represents Zimbabwe in men's international football and is controlled by the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA), formerly known as the Football Association of Rhodesia. The team has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals, but has qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations five times. Zimbabwe has also won the COSAFA Cup a record six times. The team represents both FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Hwange, originally known as Wankie, is a town in Zimbabwe, located in Hwange District, in Matabeleland North Province, in northwestern Zimbabwe, close to the international borders with Botswana and Zambia. It lies approximately 100 kilometres (62 mi), by road, southeast of Victoria Falls, the nearest large city. The town lies on the railway line from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second-largest city, to Victoria Falls. Hwange sits at an elevation of 770 metres (2,530 ft), above sea level.
Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) was the military wing of the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), a Marxist–Leninist political party in Rhodesia. It participated in the Rhodesian Bush War against white minority rule of Rhodesia. ZIPRA was formed during the 1960s by the nationalist leader Jason Moyo, the deputy of Joshua Nkomo.
Dynamos Football Club is a Zimbabwean professional football club based since 1963 at Rufaro Stadium, Mbare, Harare. The team currently participates in Zimbabwe's top-tier, the Premier Soccer League. Founded in 1963 after a merger between two lesser teams in Mbare, Harare Township, Rhodesia, Dynamos quickly became one of the strongest sides in the Rhodesian league, and by the attainment of the independence of Zimbabwe in 1980 had become the country's most successful football team, having won six national championships. Dynamos have since won 22 league championships – a national record – and at least 16 trophy/cup honours.
John Robert Campbell Robinson is a Welsh former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He made over 400 appearances during his professional career with Brighton & Hove Albion, Charlton Athletic, Cardiff City and Gillingham and also won 30 caps for Wales.
Tinashe Nengomasha is a Zimbabwean former footballer who played primarily as a midfielder for Kaizer Chiefs and Bidvest Wits in the South African Premier Soccer League and the Zimbabwe National team. Nicknamed "The General" for his command of the game, Tinashe was pivotal during his ten-year career at Kaizer Chiefs and is regarded as one of the best Central defensive midfielders in the history of the Chiefs during which time he won numerous awards.
Highlanders FC is a Zimbabwean football club based in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, formed in 1926 that plays in the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League. It is also known colloquially as iBosso.
The Cup of Zimbabwe is the top knockout tournament of the Zimbabwean football. It was created in 1962 as the Cup of Southern Rhodesia and was known between 1965 and 1980 as the Cup of Rhodesia. Due to sponsorship, the competition has undergone a number of name changes: from its creation in 1962 until 1998, the cup was known as the Castle Cup, after its sponsor, the Johannesburg-based Castle Lager. Castle also sponsored the Northern Rhodesian equivalent of the competition, which led to the creation of the "Super Castle Cup", played between 1962 and 1965 between the winners of the Southern Rhodesia Castle Cup and its Northern Rhodesian or Zambian equivalent. After the cessation of Castle sponsorship, the competition was abandoned for two seasons before being brought back in 2001 as the ZIFA Unity Cup. It retained this name until 2006, when it was known as the CBZ Cup. This name was extended to CBZ FA Cup in 2007. The cup was not played in 2009 or 2010.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Hwange is a suffragan diocese in the city of Hwange in the ecclesiastical province of Bulawayo in Zimbabwe.
Robert Christopher Ndlovu was installed as the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Harare on 21 August 2004.
Sport in Zimbabwe has a long tradition and has produced many world recognized sports names and personalities. Football is the most popular sport, although rugby union, cricket, tennis, golf, and netball also have a following, traditionally among the middle class and the white minority. Field hockey is also played widely.
Hwange Colliery F.C. is a football club from Hwange, Zimbabwe, currently playing in the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League
Rugby union in Zimbabwe is a popular sport and ranks after association football and cricket as one of the oldest and most popular sports in the country. The Zimbabwe national team, commonly known as the Sables, have been playing international rugby since the early 1900s and have made appearances in two Rugby World Cups Zimbabwe at the Rugby World Cup on two occasions. As with rugby union in Namibia, the country's lack of a professional structure, and opportunity for player's to earn an income playing rugby, has been a problem for national organisers.
The Hwange Thermal Power Station is the biggest power plant in Zimbabwe with an installed capacity of 920 MW. It is owned and operated by the national electricity company Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority. It was built in two stages and consists of 4 units of 120 MW each and 2 units of 220 MW each. Engineering Consultants, Merz & McLellan, were employed for the design and supervision of the construction of the power station. Construction of Stage 1 commenced in 1973, but was suspended in 1975 due to economic sanctions imposed on Rhodesia. Stage 1's units were commissioned from 1983 to 1986 with Stage 2's units following in 1986 and1987.
Robert Barry Lionel "Bobby" Chalmers is a former association football forward who played professionally for the Rhodesia national team and various clubs in South Africa, where he scored 303 goals in all competitions, making him the all-time top goalscorer in the now-defunct South African National Football League. Chalmers captained the Rhodesian team during its unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the 1970 FIFA World Cup, and was its leading goalscorer. In a profile published in 1980, Chalmers was described by journalist Glen Byrom as a "perfect gentleman and sportsman ... Southern Africa's crown prince of soccer".
George Shaya was a former association football forward who played for Dynamos and the Rhodesian national team during the 1960s and 1970s. He was considered one of Dynamos' all-time finest players, as well as one of the best ever from present-day Zimbabwe.
The Wankie coal mine disaster took place on 6 June 1972 when a series of underground explosions occurred at the Wankie No. 2 colliery in Rhodesia, which was owned by the Anglo-American Corporation. With 427 fatalities, it remains the deadliest mine accident to date in the country's history.
Robson Mrombe, also known as Rabson Mulombe, is an African Zimbabwean who competed in the 1964 Summer Olympic men's marathon.
