19 Jun 2018

Botswana Softball Association (BSA) on June 16 commemorated World Softball Day by coaching children from the age of five years and above in Orapa.

Sports development officer from the association, Tebogo Johannes said the objective was to introduce softball to youngsters at the grassroots level which would enable them to gain skills from a tender age.

He said it would enable youngsters to internalise the sport and further develop softball. “The aim is to concentrate on grassroots level development so that they can be empowered to take over the sport as they grow up,” he said.

He said basic and simple softball could make one go a long way. “As you engage in softball you are going to be noticed, and the world will know about the input you are making in the world,” he said.

The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JAICA), he said, had a two and half years contract with Botswana National Sports Council to develop softball.

Johannes noted that the Botswana women’s senior team was ranked number one in Africa while the men’s senior team was ranked 12th in the world. Botswana softball was in 2017 named the world federation of the year.

He said the Orapa-based Carats were bronze medalists which demonstrated the growth of softball in Orapa.

JAICA representative, Aiko Nakamura, who is also the assistant coach, said it was essential to develop youngsters at the grassroots level so that they could participate in future softball games.

Nakamura said she had noticed that local players did not have the basic skill, adding that coaches also needed to be trained.

The players, she said, had passion and the physique necessary for the sport, but did not have the technique.

She said she had been using the JAICA programme and Japan Softball Association to assist BSA with sport equipment and gear. END