14 Jul 2015

Botswana Defence Force (BDF) in Francistown has officially handed over Scramblers Softball club to the community so that they can focus on other competing obligations.

The team has been under the BDF support since its formation and with the recent reduction of the number of teams under the BDF support, Scramblers became one of the many that have been offloaded to the general public.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony of the team, deputy Brigade Commander, Colonel Shadrack Kgosi noted that BDF was faced with challenges which called for increased manpower.

Therefore, there was need for the dissolution of several clubs in order to enable the defence force to fulfil other commitments.

Col. Kgosi said BDF is committed to sports development, hence they have found it proper to allow the club to continue as a community club in order to sustain its survival, zonal legacy and status.

On top of that, he said that they would love to see Scramblers being a successful team that it has always been, noting that BDF is proud to donate eleven softball balls, twelve helmets, two pairs of shin guards, eleven gloves, four bats, two sets of kits as well as P12 000.

He took the opportunity to thank everyone who was involved in the transition process.

For his part, retired Major Bobby Khupe, who is the manager of Scramblers Softball Club, expressed his gratitude on the assistance his team has been receiving from the BDF.

However, he highlighted that there was more work left to be done.  “Only fifty per cent of the work has been done,” he said.

Mr Khupe emphasised that the community of Francistown needs to understand that BDF has been sponsoring the team with everything including transport and meals to mention a few.

However, now that Scramblers is officially handed over to the community, they no longer have the kind of assistance they received from the BDF. Khupe noted that because the BDF was no longer able to sustain many teams, players from Scramblers club ended up being scattered across Botswana in order to continue playing.

He hoped that the players will now return home because the city needs their contribution in order to bring back the momentum.

Major Khupe pleaded with the Francistown community at large to assist the team by any means possible as that would ensure mileage.

In an interview with BOPA, one of the club players, Ms Gaone Modongo expressed her delight on being a part of a team that is well known and has achieved a lot.

However, she raised a concern that the team has now disintegrated and was hopeful that the moment to relive would come back and the team. Ends