06 Aug 2018

Chairperson of Magotlhwane Young brothers, Richard Molefe has expressed gratitude and encouragement following the team’s successful promotion from 3rd division to second division league.

When giving welcome remarks during an appreciation ceremony for the team on Saturday, Molefe said they were promoted to a higher division after edging out fellow promotional play-offs teams in Magotlhwane United, Manchester United of Moshupa and Isago Sporting Club of Kanye in May this year.

He said the team went through a rough expedition from a lower division to second division.

He indicated that because they were now part of a more competitive division, players should therefore be disciplined and focused on the new challenge .

He pleaded with the Southern Football Association (SOFA) office to always update the team whenever there were opportunities of up-skilling so that the team could involve players and committee members for such training to develop sport in their area.

Molefe noted that there was need for schools of excellence in the area where students could be grouped and tutored in sporting techniques.

The idea, he said if implemented could skill players at young age and they will use the  knowledge later to develop their sporting careers .

The team president, who is also the village kgosi, Johnson Phiri commended players for their good work and urged them to keep good moral discipline .

He said Magotlhwane Young Brothers in the late 70s before plying in formal league comprised young talent of both in and out of school youths who used to play friendly games with other teams from neighboring villages such as Ntlhantlhe, Mogobane, Kgomokasitwa, Ranaka, Manyana and Lobatse, where they proved to be a force to reckon with.

Phiri said in early 80s, the team became master of winning local tournaments and helped develop some other teams in the likes of Equally Pirates, Young Stars and Tsunami.

Phiri pleaded with members of the community to assist in management and support for the team.

He said the team was now legally registered with Register of Societies and Botswana Football Association and has since joined the league under Southern Region in third division.

Phiri noted that the team had supporters who continued to sponsor and encourage the team citing Blackmagix Studio which donated P10 000 towards transport costs of the team, Kgomotso and Gobonaone Ramokhua who sponsored the team with a kit and balls and the area MP, Patrick Ralotsia who also bought the team a playing kit.

For his part, Moshupa Sub council chairperson, also is also councillor for Magotlhwane, Sonny Phiri called for unity within the team .

He said surrounding villages of Ntlhantlhe, Mogobane and Ranaka should explore ways to merge their small teams and form a strong one which could partake in the elite  league.

He encouraged the team to work harder if they were to attract more sponsors, saying sponsors were mostly attracted by players who were consistent in producing good results.

He said potential sponsors wanted to associate with teams that could sell their brands, and such teams and players portrayed positive image all the time.

Chairperson of Southern Football Association, Sidney Kafega said the team should well prepare themselves for more victories at second division league and promised that the league office would buy them balls to use during games.

He encouraged the committee to use the money donated to the team wisely and that they should grow the team from being just  a development side to being a team ready for competition and should always stand ready to give reports of audited books during Annual General Meetings ENDS