18 Aug 2015

Lack of knowledge and wrong perceptions surrounding fencing contribute immensely to shunning of sport by many, interviewees have claimed.

Botswana Amateur Fencing Society technical director, Maatla Basha, Saturday August 15 at Boipelego Junior School attributed lack of support to negative perception around the sport.

“People look at the type of equipment we use and the mention of electricity scares off some people who see it as a dangerous sport,” Maatla said referring to equipment like sabre and blade.

However, the technical director said the sport, like any other, is beneficial especially to the students as it engages them whilst simultaneously keeping them fit.

An affiliate of Botswana National Sports Council, Botswana Amateur Fencing Society is in the process of working with Botswana Tertiary School Sport Association and Botswana Integrated Sport Association as way of taking the sport to the people.

Whilst in their endeavor to popularise fencing, the technical director urges young people to take to fencing at a tender age, arguing that at international levels observation has been that winners are usually those who started young.

The organiser of the training, Bashi Lechaena of Boipelego JSS said he hatched the idea of training students as a way of diversifying sport.
His observation has always been that students are only exposed to popular sports like football and netball and these codes cannot accommodate all of them.

Though an expensive sport, where a full equipment for completion for a single person can cost about P15 000, Lechaena believes fencing teaches students discipline that can go a long way in molding a complete human being desired by the society.

Like fencing technical director, Lechaena reiterates that misconceptions are some of the contributing factors towards shunning of sport. However, with Boipelego JSS earmarked to being the school excellence for the code, Lechaena is positive that the misconceptions will soon be wiped out.

He said many school leaders do not understand the sport and hence ignored his call to avail students for training. Other logistical problems such as transport and feeding are cited too as having contributed to some schools’ failure to pitch up for training.

Semane JSS, Metsimasweu JSS and Bakwena Kgari were the only schools that showed up, apart from the hosts Boipelego. The training comprised teaching students the basics before engaging in bouts.

Lechaena said teachers, who were part of the training, are happy at the sport and will hold combined trainings in future. ENDS