Zombo schools urged to play by the rules as sports competitions kick off
“Some kids are just too big and too old for their category, which intimidates the younger players,” one teacher noted.
Zombo: The whistle blew on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, as school administrations across Zombo District relaunched their games and sports competitions, with a strong call for discipline to ensure a smooth and successful tournament.
In Paidha Town Council, 16 schools are hitting the field for this year’s ball games, competing in a variety of sports.
The lineup includes U12 boys’ football, U12 girls’ football, U14 netball, U14 girls’ handball, and U14 boys’ volleyball, catering to both U12 and U14 age groups.
With the games in full swing, all eyes are on Zombo’s young athletes to play hard and play fair.
The town council’s sports committee has scouted 10 venues currently in play, including Paidha Demonstration School for netball and football, alongside Mvungu Upper, Oturgang, Cana, and Nguthe primary school fields.
Charles Kasamba, Chairperson of Games and Sports for Paidha Town Council, called on school administrations to keep their teams in line throughout the tournament.
“We’re expecting a clean game all the way to the finals. We’ve briefed all schools to work together to ensure discipline and fair play dominate,” Kasamba said.
According to the committee, today’s matches are set to wrap up the group stages, with quarterfinals slated for Thursday, July 31.
The championship games are scheduled to conclude on Friday at Paidha Demonstration School.
Despite the smooth start, some sports teachers have raised red flags about oversized and overaged players.
“Some kids are just too big and too old for their category, which intimidates the younger players,” one teacher noted.
Comfort, a sports teacher from St. Glorious Nursery and Primary School, pointed to biased officiating as another issue. “The umpires are favoring one side. We need a shake-up in how the games are refereed,” she told this publication.
Addressing the fouls
Responding to the concerns, Kasamba acknowledged the complaints but emphasized efforts to keep the games fair.
“Complaints are part of any competition. We’ve had schools raise issues about player sizes, and we’re addressing them as we go,” he said.
He clarified that the focus is on age groups U12 and U14, rather than physical size. “These days, we’re sticking to age verification, not just appearances.”
Kasamba also highlighted the introduction of new sports like U14 boys’ volleyball and U14 girls’ handball, a first for Zombo District.
“Our game teachers have been trained by the town council, and we’re confident the tournament will finish strong with discipline intact,” he added.
Max Chombe, Vice Technical Officer for the Town Council Games and Sports Association, explained the selection process.
“We follow UPSA guidelines, the national body for primary school sports. We use the Learner’s Identification Number (LIN) to verify players’ ages, ensuring they were born in respective categories. Physical appearance matters too, overly built kids may be disqualified to keep things fair.”
The organizers have promised trophies for top-performing schools as a reward for their efforts, to be handed out after Friday’s finals.
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