04 Jul 2018

The Re ba Bona Ha programme has recently conducted a one-day workshop, which saw volunteer coaches and pupils from all the four public primary schools in Jwaneng participating.

The workshop comes after an observation that rugby was lagging behind in primary schools.

In an interview, development manager for Botswana Rugby Union, Zilwele Khumalo said it was important to expose children to the sport at an early age, which he said would make it easier for teachers at junior secondary schools to train them as they would already have the fundamentals of the game. 

He said playing the sport did not only teach pupils about the game, but it also equiped them with valuable life skills such as perseverance and lessons to use in other sport codes.

He said through the workshop, they hoped to select a team that would play at an upcoming rugby tournament to be held in Selebi Phikwe.

Three groups of teams were expected to be chosen from the workshop from the ages of nine, 12 and 15.

A teacher at Teemane Primary school, Alfred Koorapetse, who is also a volunteer coach, said he was impressed at the number of children who turned up to learn about the sport.

“The kids show much interest in the sport as they even come during holidays when they are supposed to be with their families,” he said.

Both boys and girls turned out in the same numbers.

Koorapetse also applauded the Re Ba Bona Ha programme for the support to the sports programme. He however, said he wished that the workshops would spread to other places to make the sport well known.

He urged the Botswana Primary Schools Sports Association to include rugby in their programme. ENDS