16 Apr 2013

Botswana Football Association (BFA) should train more referees, referees instructor, Israel Malepa has advised.

He said this at the end of a week-long training course at Hatsalatladi in Kweneng District where young people aged between 15 and 21 years were drilled on refereeing.

Malepa said it was important to train referees at a tender age because that would give them chance to gain experience as they grow, hence enhancing the production of professional referees.

“Our aim as BFA is to have referees all over Botswana,” said  Malepa further encouraging parents to take part in grooming and supporting trainees to realise their dreams. He also said they would revisit the village with a more advanced course and encouraged the organisers and villagers not to hesitate contacting their office whenever the need arose.

On her part, the organiser of the course, Connie Mothobi-Rabogadi, said her family was encouraged to organise the training because of the passion and love for football. “Hatsalatladi is a bit behind in terms of developments but our young people are so much into football,” she said.

Rabogadi said it was not an easy thing organising the camp since they did not have any sponsor from outside but thanked BFA for releasing their officials, Malepa and Phodiso Rasetsoga to officiate at the training camp.

Nevertheless, chairperson of the constituency tournaments, Hatsalatladi Ward, Colic Keaitse could not hide her happiness insisting that the young referees would not benefit Hatsalatladi only, but Kweneng District as well.

 She said the constituency committee would start by engaging the trainees in constituency tournaments and approaching the first division league to also consider them in officiating in their games. ENDS