24 Jun 2020

There is need for Botswana Netball Association (BONA) executive committee to consider the importance of good leadership, welfare support and behaviour beyond COVID-19.

Presenting at a COVID-19 assessment meeting with the southern zone netball committee and affiliates recently, University of Botswana sport psychologist, Dr Tshepang Tshube, said the pandemic threatened existence of sport. 

He said ‘sport is synonymous to gatherings and therefore, the aftermath of the pandemic will demand more from the sporting fraternity to sustain its relevance’.

He said research showed that sport in Africa lacked compensation with unfair treatment, corruption, poor training facilities and lack of dual career opportunities. 

Therefore, he said effective leadership could help the situation by being positive, giving immediate feedback and attending to emerging challenges.

Dr Tshube said leaders ought to always give individual and group feedback, being specific to the problem, adding ‘apply the sandwich feedback method, where a leader attends to a problem by giving advice and ultimately arriving at a solution’. 

He urged them to learn to come up with intellectual stimulation, encourage creativity and foster new ways of approaching problems and work on individual considerations and team needs.

Dr Tshube said a leader must idealise influence and serve as a role model as well as command trust and respect.

He stressed the importance of welfare, psychological support and career assistance, adding that a leader should inspire an athlete to acquire dual careers. 

Dr Tshube said when a sportsperson’s career came to an end, there must be an alternative line of business to fall back on.

He emphasised that the effects of COVID-19 were heavily felt by those in sport since they were isolated from normal life.

“Everything came to a halt, and we are not sure if the normal sporting calendars will be followed,” he said.

He said the trying time would have a major impact on athletes and officials. 

Dr Tshube said mental health effects, behavioural change and financial implications, as some solely relied on competition allowances and appearance fees, were some of the challenges arising from COVID-19.

Dr Tshube said leaders must holistically focus on the athletes’ environment and focus on long term likely prospects, rather than committing their energy on short term dividends. ENDS