01 Jul 2013

Orapa United supporters have been urged to rally behind their team as it makes its maiden appearance in the elite be Mobile Premier League in the next season.

The team's chairperson, Thatayaone Sithole said during the team’s victory celebration on Saturday that the merger of some Orapa teams had brought positive results worth celebrating.

However, Sithole lamented that the team did not have enough support from the Orapa community as only a handful have attended practice sessions and league matches. 

“I often wonder where the supporters of the five teams that were merged to form Orapa United have gone,” he said, adding that besides being a small town, Orapa used to have so many teams that never stayed long in the elite league.

“We are finally in the premier league and it is history in the making and worth celebrating,” he said. He said United was for the Orapa community and Boteti as a whole.

Its success was a result of dedication and commitment by the team management, technical staff and the players, he added.

Sithole further appealed to the players to be aware of their cordial relationship with Debswana as a company and that the team was lucky to have been associated with such a big brand. “Whatever you do on and off the field, whether negative or positive will always be associated with Debswana,” he cautioned.

The chairperson said Debswana had been supporting the team and hoped that the relationship would continue. However, he advised the team to work hard and graduate from solely depending on the mining company.

One of the committee members, Kgosietsile Makula advised the players that a lot of discipline would be required of them as they represented the community in the highest league.

Makula said they were at a stage where they would engage agents to negotiate better deals from other teams on their behalf and as such they should display discipline and attitude.

He said a disciplined and committed play on and off the field would attract the interest of agents, national team coach and even teams in other better paying leagues outside the country. “You cannot perform and go far without discipline,” he advised.

Debswana senior manager, Obakeng Moroka said the mine had been supporting the team with, among others, training equipment, accommodation and transport, as well as assisting with internal communication. 

“I would like to assure you that the mine will remain committed to supporting the club in the manner we have been doing and even more,” he said.

He said Debswana recognised the contribution that sport made in a society, such as providing entertainment, bringing people together and has health and fitness benefits.

“It is also a medium through which the youth are able to release their potential, and, above all, sport is a significant source of employment and can generate revenue for a country".

The Debswana official said the ‘Ostriches, as Orapa United are affectionately known, had built a legacy and thus urged the team to work hard to maintain its stay in the supreme league.

Orapa United was a product of five teams and had been in existence for only two seasons. On its first campaign as a united force in the First Division north, the team finished in third position.

United continued with the good performance and emerged as winners at the end of the First Division north region, thereby gaining promotion to the prestigious be Mobile Premier League. ENDS