18 Feb 2020

Robust talent scouting strategies must be put in place to unearth Botswana’s sports personalities from constituency sport tournaments.

Speaking in an interview during regional constituency sport competitions cycle 2 held at Tsabong recently, Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Constituency Sport Tournament Region 1 coordinator Onthusitse Moinisi said it was important to have talent scouting teams on the ground to unearth talent. 

He said there were many  talented young sportsmen and women unidentified, especially in remote areas, hence the need for talent scouters to attends such tourneys.

 Moinisi said while the games were for leisure and keeping the youth away from the streets, they could also be used as yardsticks to develop exceptionally talented ones to prepare them for elite leagues.

He said it was necessary to capacitate the youth on team management as well as train coaches as most teams had proven to effectively use the prize monies from the previous tournaments.

 These, he said, purchased team kits and necessary tools needed for the games as all teams had come prepared.

Moinisi added that to make more progress it was important to impart sport administration skills in the youth involved.

He emphasised that it was critical to develop the tournament and incorporate behaviour change into the games rather than just having exhibition stalls from District Health Management Team or Botswana Christian AIDS Intervention Programme (BOCAIP). Thus a fun and interactive approach must be embedded in sports.

“The games build character. We need to devise strategies where we can have pre workshops to enable them to understand why they are participating in these games,” he said.

He added that the youth should also be taught self-development and entrepreneurship as majority of them were unemployed to beef up befits of playing at the constituency level.

Sports programme officer for Tsabong Sub-district Arabang Sefakwe said the mass participation tournament was inaugurated in 2009 to narture and identify talent at grassroots level as well as mold the youth behaviour for them to become meaningfully engaged in sports.

The games, he said, promoted healthy living and competitiveness among the youth.

He highlighted that the games had yielded results over the years as some talented youth had been identified at random in Tsabong South to play for an elite league.

Omphile Visage of Bokspits had gone for trials at Extension Gunners Football Club after being identified from constituency tournaments, he said, adding that more should be unearthed in a deliberate move rather than random picking.

Diamond Stars from Jwaneng emerged winners, thrashing Young Fighters 3-0 in the male volleyball category.

Coach Tshepo Masogo expressed delight over the strength and skillfulness the boys displayed.

He said they were looking forward to the nationals billed for Molepolole from February 29- March 1.

Quizzed on how they used their prize money, he said it was primarily used to support team members, do team building exercises and generally socialise, while they also use the funds to support team mates with needs.

The funds were not just reserved to keep the team going for the tournament, but to also help them sustain themselves.

 He said majority of team members played in the national league, but opted to participated in the constituency tournament due to absence of league games.

Constituency Tournament Region 1 comprises of Jwaneng-Mabutsane constituency, Kgalagadi North and South as well as Ghanzi North and South. 

The youth participated in netball, volleyball and football. ENDS