17 May 2017

Botswana Karate Association (BOKA) has appointed various commissions for the smooth running of the association.

In an interview, BOKA public relations officer, Sensei Isaiah Ramontshonyana said the chairperson of the referees commission was Mpho Bakwadi, who is a qualified World Karate referee and a 6th dan black belt while members include Sensei Lucas Rakgampu, a qualified Union Federation of African Karate (UFAK) referee, Sensei Mompati Kwati UFAK referee and Sensei Bernard Morapedi, Africa Region 5 referee.

Sensei Ramontshonyana noted that the commission would be responsible for the development and training of referees as well as for compiling and maintaining the referees database in order to coordinate the activities of referees during BOKA activities.

He said projects for the referee’s commission included the national referees qualification framework/guidelines, local referees’ course content and BISA and BOTESSA development.

He noted that the chairperson of the technical commission was Sensei Gary Kgathi, who is a 4th dan black belt, with members being Sensei Peter Molefe, who has held positions of BOKA national team coach at different levels and Sensei Kgosi Dibotelo.

He said the commission would be responsible for the development and updating of karate techniques to meet WKF standards, to monitor developments in karate, kata and kumite rules and to recommend the appointment of the national coach as well as assisting in the selection of the national team and ensure that coaches and trainers assigned to prepare the team do prepare them.

Projects of the commission include national team training programmes, national team coaches reports and national teams for Region 5 as well as Commonwealth and World and Tokyo Olympic 2020 athletes.

Sensei Ramontshonyana said the chairperson of the development commission was Sensei Moemedi Mpebe, a 3rd dan black belt, and that members were Sensei Karabo Samuel, Sensei Thabo Maretlwaneng and Sensei Nkwebi Lentswe.

He said the responsibilities of the commission include monitoring and coordinating visits by international instructors to ensure such visits add value to the development of karate.

They would also be responsible for the implementation of the BOKA development programme and the development of instructors, judges and coaches as well as the development of karate from the grassroots.

The projects commission would supervise the national coaches accreditation programme, project 1000, affiliates grassroots development programme and the chief instructors development programme.

He said the chair of the medical commission was Sensei Orchard Kgosiele, who will work with Tunah Oahile and Sensei Ephraim Sekgomanyane.

He added that all those in the medical commission were people who had first aid qualifications.

The commission would be responsible for medical facilitation of all national team activities, and would also be responsible for medical care at all BOKA activities and also be responsible for training of first aiders.

Projects the commission would carry out include national team medical team and coverage, establishing partnerships with medical service providers and first aid training for all administrators, athletes, instructors and coaches.

Sensei Ramontshonyana noted that the organising commission chair was Sensei China Metswi, who is a 3rd dan black belt and sport development officer at BNSC while members include Sensei Keorapetse Dube, Sensei Boise Caiphus and Thuso Nkeme.

He said the commission would be responsible for arrangements for tournaments, organising and executing BOKA activities, drawing BOKA programme of activities and making logistics arrangements for tournament demonstrations and clinics as mandated by the constitution.

Projects that the commission would engage in include tournament structure, BOKA club championship, Karate Premier League, Botswana International Open and Minister of Education Karate Championship.

He said the athletes commission chair was Sensei Moses Jones, who is a 1st dan black belt while members were Waabo Anwar, Parker Mampori and Sensei Mogakolodi Ponatshego.

He said the commission would be responsible for the development of competition athletes, for elite and zebra athletes, and also be responsible for scouting potential elite athletes from affiliates.

Projects it would  execute include the BNSC special programmes plan, Tokyo 2020 Olympics development plan, presence at BISA, BOTESSA and affiliates activities, and the development of a high performance programme. ENDS