03 Jul 2017

Molepolole residents have been encouraged to rally behind Tsaone Tshegofatso in the upcoming Netball World Youth Cup which will be held in Gaborone from July 8-16 .

Tshegofatso, who hails from Molepolole is among the 15 girls that will make up team Botswana in the netball World Youth Cup games.

Therefore, Molepolole residents have been urged to give support not only to her but to team Botswana.  

That was said by various speakers during the Netball World Youth Cup trophy tour in Molepolole.

While team Botswana needs all the support and prayers in order to keep the trophy on home ground, to 19-year-old Tshegofatso, July 8, will not only be a historic day for the country since it is the first African country ever to host the Netball World Youth Cup, but to her, it will also be a special day since it is her birthday as well. 

What a coincidence, noted her mother who was more than happy that her daughter has made it to the final squad.

Tshegofatso’s mother Lesedi Nyatso said that her daughter’s interest in netball actually was fanned from home since her family members at one point played the sport.  

Nyatso indicated that her daughter also took from her narrating that in 1976 during independence games to celebrate Botswana’s 10th birthday, she brought the netball trophy to her former school, Sebele 1 primary school after beating all the primary schools in Molepolole.

Since her daughter loved to play s, they encouraged her to play netball at school. 

The joyful mother further stated that together with family members, they will be at the stands giving support to their daughter and team Botswana.

Her former teacher at Bonewamang primary school, Vinolia Letlole said that Tshegofatso started playing netball at standard four and already at standard six she was playing in international games. 

Her first international trip was in Namibia.  

She continued playing netball from primary school right to junior school and at Kgari Sechele senior secondary school where she is currently doing her form five grade.

Her family as well as Molepolole residents took turns to celebrate victory ahead of the games with a sense of ownership as they strongly believe that they too have representation in the squad. 

They offered prayers and chanted songs of praise for Team Botswana.

Pupils from Bonewamang primary school came in large numbers to give support to their very own Tshegofatso and the national team.

Netball World Youth Cup Local Organising committee representative, Patrick Tlotleng said that countries had started arriving in Botswana with the first country to arrive being Cook Islands which together with Botswana fall under Pool C with other countries such as Jamaica, Uganda and Malaysia. ENDS