So wherever Lorraine Chivandire travels, she automatically becomes the centre of attraction. The lady fitness trainer of Zimbabwe enjoys every bit of the attention she has been getting for the past six years.
The initial period was not quite hunky-dory though. The boys, naturally, were not at ease with a demanding lady putting them through the fitness drills. But with time the ice was broken. As the team and Lorraine got to knew each other well, the comfort level grew. Six years down the line, Lorraine now has earned the respect of the team for her professional and no non-sense approach. She is now an integral part of the support staff. The players are happy with her fitness regime and that is the reason Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) is continuing with her.
The fact that her entire family is associated with sports, prompted Lorraine to opt for the profession. “I come from a family of sportspersons. My father played squash for Zimbabwe and for me he is one of the sources of inspiration. Our family, like many new-age Zimbabwean family, has a lot of members specializing in sports. My elder brother plays American football. The other two brothers play rugby in the USA and the UK,” Lorraine told TOI on Thursday.
And like others in the family, she too wants to make a mark in her field. She has learnt a lot during her stay with the team and her experience makes her one of the best in the business. Her success also proves that fitness training is not only a male domain.
“I joined ZC as an apprentice to former national team fitness trainer, Dean Woodford in 2005. I then took over from him prior to the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa in August 2007. And so far, the experience with the guys has been fantastic.”
Recalling her journey so far, Lorraine said, “My first cricketing encounter was with the Zimbabwe ‘A’ side. Sticking to my own training methods helped. Of course, it wouldn’t have been possible without good work ethics and professionalism from the players. I am glad I managed to earn respect from the players with my fitness techniques.”
The Zimbabwe team management is happy with her as she is coming up with results. “She is a thorough professional. Off the field she is a part of the group, cracking jokes with the players and mixing with them as one of their own. But once on the field she is very strict and always means business,” said Zimbabwe media manager Jeffrey Murimbechi.
Indeed, by her approach, she has proved that women are no less than the men in any field.
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