26 Jun 2017

Under 21 national team assistant coach, Kagisano Mawela says the team is ready for the Netball World Youth Cup to be hosted by Botswana next month.

She said in an interview that they had prepared well for the competition in Australia and Singapore and at the just-ended Brutal Fruit competitions in South Africa.

Mawela said the team played with Brutal Fruit champions, Tacks and second runners-up Bloemfontein among others. She said team #Reabatsaya won one game, drew one and lost two games with a margin of 20 and eight.

She further noted that Team Botswana and the Brutal Fruit champions were in the same level, adding that the girls showed stamina and tactical awareness when playing.

Mawela also noted that Team Botswana was in the same pool with Uganda, Cook Island, Malaysia and Jamaica, adding that their main rival in the group was Jamaica.

She, however, said after a tactical encounter with the Brutal Fruit champions, the results revealed that girls were competent and could face any team.

“We expect a lot of competition from Jamaica, but looking at games we played with Australia and Singapore recently in South Africa as part of our preparations, our team is in the same standard with Team Jamaica,” she said.

Furthermore, she said the technical team was cognisant with Jamaica’s style of play, strength and how they possess the ball, adding that all the friendly games helped them to strategies for their games.

She said as a former world netball competitor, she advised Team Botswana that “it depends on commitment and preparedness of oneself.”

“World competitions are not threatening, what matters is how you feel you are ready,” she said.

Mawela further advised the girls to play as a team and to know that they were representing Botswana as well as building profiles for themselves. ENDS