Softball league launch deferred
Calistus Kolantsho | Sunday September 29, 2024 11:43
The launch was scheduled to take place over the Independence holidays in Gaborone. Speaking to MmegiSport, BSA president, Tirelo Mukokomani, said the launch will not take place as initially planned because they are still sorting out some logistics. He said a new date for the launch will be announced in due course but they are eyeing the first week of October. “We are waiting the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) approval. They wanted us to make some adjustments, and we delayed in all honesty. Our budget was just different from what they had planned for,” Mukokomani said. Softball is one of the National Sport Associations (NSA) that were identified by the BNSC to receive assistance in order to kick start their activities. Other codes that will receive similar assistance are volleyball and boxing. Initially, Mukokomani had revealed that they had received a grant of P936, 000 from BNSC. Meanwhile, the BSA transfer window has come to an end without much movement due to a lack of league activity. BDF IX coach, Tebogo Makacana, said there was no activity going on, but he has a lot of young players in the team that need to be groomed.
“So, I figured there is no need to bring in new faces. (I would) rather work with the pool of players I have for now and see what I get from them first before I can look for any additions. There is an upcoming tournament over the weekend at the National Diamond. It will allow me to try a few things here and there to see what would work for us. This includes line-ups and player positioning, both defensively and offensively and also the style of play,” he said. Makacana said they have been working on a lot of different things and now is the perfect time to implement and see what will work for the team going forward.
He said the tournament came at the perfect time. On the other side of town, Police IX went on a shopping spree and signed six players. The players are Karabo Letsatsi and Tlotlo Sebabye from UB Giants, Titans' Lesego Rammusi, Terisanyo Motsilenyane and Tuelo Mack from Vikings and a new registration in Mokgweetsi Elisa. UB Giants coach, Kelebogile Mabua, said there was not much movement on his side, but five players have left to join Police, Wells International, Panthers and Vikings, respectively. “We recruited four players, one being a new registration, two from Raptures and one from BMC Softball Club. It has been difficult without any softball action. We love this game through and through. It is our way of life and lack of action is painful. We have nothing to pass the time with,” Mabua said.
He said clubs have been preparing their players but they do not know what is causing the delay for the league to kick off. Police IX chairperson, Diketso Gaborone, said they have recruited young players because they want to keep the team going with different generations. He said it was, therefore, important to make additions and changes to the squad. “We are going far and we want to make our mark in the national league when it starts,” he said. Gaborone said the upcoming tournament organised by his side is for charity and is played under the theme ‘A home run against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and drug abuse: Together we can.’ The tournament will be played over two days, Saturday and Sunday at the National Diamond. The men's teams that will play in the tournament are BDF, Gata, Police, UB Giants and Vikings, whilst on the women's side, BDF, Police and Vikings will battle it out.