27 May 2021

The netball fraternity has hailed its player Kesegofetse Tirafalo-Chima for her love and generosity in sports.

Tirafalo-Chima, popularly known as Kesedee in the netball circle, passed away on May 19 after a short illness and will be buried in Palapye May 28 (Friday).

She was an integral part of the dominant BDF Cats, which won the national league from 1996 to 2005.

She also played for the national netball team before retiring from active netball in 2005. Before joining BDF Cats she also played for Arsenal Netball Club in Serowe.

During a memorial service held in her honour on Wednesday, Botswana National Sports Commission vice-chairperson, Tebogo Lebotse-Sebego described Tirafalo-Chima aged 45 as a loving person and very strong in the field of play.

She said Tirafalo-Chima contributed a lot to sports development especially netball in the early 1990s when players were playing for passion.

Lebotse-Sebego said she met Tirafalo-Chima in Namibia in the early 1990s when they were playing for Botswana under 21 Netball Team. She said because of their dominating team spirit, they scooped the silver medal during the competitions.

She noted that Tirafalo-Chima was a very good goal defender who used her skills and talent to the team’s advantage.

She further said her love for netball grew fast, as they also got to play together in the Confederation of Universities and Colleges in Southern Africa (CUCSSA).

For her part, Botswana Netball Association president, Malebo Raditladi-Nkgakile said Tirafalo-Chima’s demise came at a time when they were planning to make her one of the committee members who would help revive netball in the Central District.

She further noted that Tirafalo-Chima made netball interesting.

She applauded Tirafalo-Chima’s efforts in making netball a great sport of today in Botswana adding that she would remain unforgettable in the hearts of netball lovers.

Botswana Defence Force XI sporting club official, Isaac Letsholathebe said Tirafalo-Chima was one of the veterans of netball who were most needed during hard times.

She is survived by her husband and three children. ENDS