21 Mar 2023

Botswana Football Association (BFA), in collaboration with Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC), re-launched Debswana Re Ba Bona Ha (RBBH) Football Centre in Maun Saturday.

Over 200 boys and girls aged 12 and below from Tawana, Bonatla and Kubung primary schools attended the re-launch where they were introduced to basic football skills.

In an interview, BFA technical director, Tshepo Mphukuthi, said the association’s objective post the COVID-19 pandemic, was to revive the Re Ba Bona Ha centres, including the one in Maun.

He said Re Ba Bona Ha programme had proven to be fruitful in Maun as evidenced by the promotion of Sankoyo Bush Bucks to the premier league in 2014 with some of its players having gone through the RBBH structures.

He said the programme also ensured that children developed passion for sport at a young age.

“Football helps to develop players’ life skills so that they relate well with their teammates, teachers and parents because one cannot separate sport from discipline and teamwork,” he added.

Mphukuthi said upon graduating from the programme at 12 years, players would be absorbed into the Nhabe Regional Football Association youth league where BFA would continue to monitor talent.

Furthermore, he stated that youngsters with potential were enrolled into schools of excellence in Radisele and Mogoditshane to horn their skills.

Nhabe Regional Football Association coach, Tobokani King, said the region had produced prolific youngsters through RBBH programme who were absorbed into the Under 12 to Under 17 national teams.

King said when Sankoyo was promoted to the elite league, about seven players had graduated from the programme, adding however that with time, the programme regressed which resulted in no talent being identified.

“At this stage, children are only introduced to basic football skills hence we could not determine how many of them had potential. In five years’ time, we would be able to measure the fruits of seeds that were sown on Saturday,” he said.

He added that Nhabe region had qualified coaches certified by BFA who had displayed commitment in training the children to ensure grassroots development was a success.

“There is so much potential in Ngamiland that needs to be nurtured and I believe programmes such as Re Ba Bona Ha are what we need so that we are able to have another team from Ngamiland in the elite league,” he said.

King was happy that Nhabe clubs had youth teams, saying ‘this would go a long way in helping coaches identify and monitor players efficiently.’ ENDS