10 Mar 2015

Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) sports development manager-technical says the Centre of Sports Excellence programme has produced positive results despite the challenges it encounters.

Bobby Gaseitsiwe said in an interview that although there were limitations in areas such as coaching, people should give it a chance as they were already realising results from the programme.

“Although the programme is just in its infancy we have a couple of achievements that are a result of this initiative and I am confident to say this was a good move by the government.” The programme is funded by the Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture (MYSC) in collaboration with that of Education and Skills Development. 

It focuses on improving the standards of performance once talent has been identified and developed.   Athletics, Boxing, Karate, Netball, Softball and Volleyball codes are already benefitting from it. Eight junior secondary and 12 senior secondary schools have been selected as centres.

The official said the programme’s inception was to increase society’s pool and supply of educated, talented and dedicated athletes capable of superior and sustained performance at all levels of sport competition.

Gaseitsiwe said that one of the objectives of the programme is to achieve an increase in high performance and medal haul. “Most would agree that we have started realising this, given our athletes performance during the Africa Youth games we hosted. Athletes from the centres performed impressively.”

Though the other objective is achieving allocation efficiency due to an enhanced ability of specialised sport schools to match needs and services for meaningful results, the manager admitted that they have experienced some challenges in this regard.

 The manager said since the programme is still new, absence or the poor state of sports infrastructure is a challenge and said given the ministry’s commitment he trusts that they will have acquired equipment and facilities in no time. 

He added that the 2014 proposed budget has provision for upgrading of facilities and said affiliates continue to run coaches courses to impact correct skills on the coaches. Gaseitsiwe said poor coordination in placements of students at the centres is a challenge that they are still working on. 

The official said inadequate skilled sports personnel such as coaches and trainers is also another headache, adding that for the programme to achieve its maximum potential there should be adequate skilled officials.

He said presently they are relying on Mogomotsi Otsetswe only, to coach athletes at Goodhope senior and said that is not enough. He said they are working with associations to identify more coaches for the programme. Gaseitsiwe said to address that, funds have been requested from MYSC to hire full time coaches at the centres. 

He said BNSC is encouraging and supporting affiliates with devising incentives to attract and retain coaches. The official cried of limited support from the athletes’ parents or guardians and said they hope that parents will see the importance of their children being in such centres.

At the 2014 Africa Youth Games Galefele Moroko won bronze in the women 400m race, Baboloki Thebe won gold in the men 200m race and bronze in the men 100m race, Karabo Sibanda won gold in the men 400m race.  

Thebe and Sibanda represented Botswana at the second summer Youth Olympic Games in Naijing. Thebe won a silver medal in the boys 100m race while Sibanda also won a silver medal in the boys 400m race.

Last year Botswana flag flew high at the Zimbabwe Interprovincial Championships as the athletes from the centre dominated the sprints. Sibanda scooped gold in Under 20 400m. 

His teammate Karabo Mothibi led the pack in U20 men 100 and 200m. Thebe seconded his homeboy in 100 and 200m while Thabiso Segobi finished third in 200m. ENDS