Mosimanegape joins WBSC board
Calistus Kolantsho | Saturday July 16, 2022 06:00
He was elected into the position during the WBSC elective Congress held in Taipei, Taiwan and will be the WBSC Africa Member at Large. The congress was a follow-up to the one that was held in Botswana in 2017.
Mosimanegape told Mmegi Sport he submitted his name when he realised that there was no interest from Southern African countries. He said African countries have been operating in silos. “Countries up north have been operating on their own while we at the southern tip have been working with South Africa and Lesotho. We did not benefit from such an arrangement.
The sport has not been growing. A Federation like ours will have a league at the tune of P1 million, you play it home, nothing happens when the league ends,” he said. Mosimanegape said there is a need to come up with a new structure such as the Champion of Champions. He said it is some of the issues that he is advocating for and he highlighted the matter during the qualifiers.
In another development, softball legend, Andrew Mokoto has been inducted into the WBSC Hall of Fame in the administration category. Meanwhile, the stage is set for the Phikwe Softball Extravaganza where eight men's and eight women's clubs will battle it out for the title.
During the preparations for the tournament, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) was shaken when major sponsors, Komatsu Botswana announced they were pulling out. Komatsu was one of the biggest sponsors of the tournament together with Bridgestone South Africa and BCL Mine.
SPEDU has now taken over as the title sponsor. The winners, in both the men's and women's categories, will bank P20,000. Previously, champions received P40,000. Police are eyeing the title after qualifying in both the men's and women's categories.
The women’s side is going back to its hunting ground where it won the mini-league. The men’s side is the league champions and they won all their matches during the elimination stage played in Gaborone.
The absence of number one pitcher, Kunyalala Samuel has not dented the chances of Ditau. Police chairperson, Diketso Gaborone said everything is in place. “I can tell you that both men and women have been preparing for the tournament.
The focus was mainly on the weaknesses. Coaches have been busy correcting mistakes they spotted during eliminations. We are taking a much-improved Police to Phikwe,” he said.
Gaborone said during eliminations, it was difficult for the men's team as their pitcher got injured. He said despite the setback, they won all five games. Wells International manager, Moffat Kgotlaetsile said they are going to Selebi-Phikwe to claim what’s theirs. “We have won this competition before in both the men's and women's categories.
Remember that our men’s side qualified by beating all their opponents in the group,” he said. BDF IX men and Bears women won the 2019 edition. Participating teams: women: Comets (host), Police, Ghetto Yankees, BDF, Vikings, Rail Giants, Titans, and Carats. Men: Comets (host), Police, Rail Giants, Vikings, Rebels, BDF, Carats, and Wells.