02 Sep 2013

The Vice President, Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe, has paid homage to Gaborone United that he described as trendsetters in the local football scene.

Speaking during the club’s annual gala dinner and player’s awards, Dr Kedikilwe said the be Mobile Premier League side was the first to turn professional and the first team to develop a website. “In so doing, Gaborone United has become the vanguard in the implementation of the Botswana Football Association’s 1998 Bosele Declaration,” he said.

Dr Kedikilwe said GU had also responded to the ideals of national vision of promoting a united and proud nation; a prosperous, productive and innovative nation as well as compassionate, just and caring nation.

He said the nation was able to unite through sport such as football. The Vice President, who said he played football for Kgale XI and United Terrors Sporting Club which later transformed to GU, applauded Moyagoleele for they stood against the tide when the odds were against it after relegating to the first division.

Gaborone United made a comeback to pioneer the process of corporatisation and employment creation through professional football, branding and merchandising as well as social and media network in local football, he said.

The team also added a voice against reckless driving and its theme: Avoid Careless Driving to Save Lives, called for personal responsibility as individuals to avoid harming others in one way or the other. Vice President Kedikilwe said government considered sport to be one of the key factors in personal and community development, as well as nation building.

“We view sport as a very important tool in character building of the youth as it teaches discipline, teamwork and encourages physical fitness,” he said.

He said government acknowledged the role that sport played in the development of young people in Botswana, adding they saw school sport as an avenue that could be used as the main driver of grass root development of athletes across all codes.

Dr Kedikilwe urged clubs to take advantage of already existing structures within the school system such as Botswana Integrated School Sport Association (BISA) and Botswana Primary School Sport Association (BOPSSA) to support development of athletes and talent identification.

He said government spent about P39 million annually on the constituency sport tournaments and called upon clubs to use them to identify talent. Gaborone United established development sides from Under 12, 15 and Under 17 and the graduates had not only benefited the club but other teams as well.

The Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture  provided P1.2 million to the Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) for the procurement of equipment for secondary schools identified as centres of sport excellence to develop talent at the grass root level.

Dr Kedikilwe appealed to clubs to take advantage of the concept of corporate social responsibility to a level which could be supportive of government’s initiatives such as the rural development. “Well established clubs, especially those in the elite league, should adopt sporting clubs in rural areas and help them develop facilities such as sport fields,” he said.

Meanwhile, striker Ronald Chikomo won the most accolades as he emerged the Player of the Season, Top Goal Scorer, Player’s Player of the Season and Supporters Player of the Season.

Stephen Maposa received the Director’s Special Award while Obonwe Maome was voted the Young Player of the Season. Most Improved Player Award went to Gosegonna Molapisi, Most Improved Young Player award went to Kabo Phiri while Tebogo Sosome got an award for Most Disciplined Player. ENDS