Mukokomani given ‘friendly warning’
Calistus Kolantsho | Saturday October 12, 2024 10:48
Speaking during the launch of the league, Morule said if half of the teams were going to consist of Softball Masters' team players, BNSC would rethink releasing the funds. “The Masters' teams are better organised than mainstream teams. I think it still shows that they still have the spirit of self-reliance. We will be interested to see the youthful players that you bring to the game,” he said. Meanwhile, Morule said softball is one of the few National Sport Associations (NSA) that were identified to resume activities. “This is intended to instil the spirit of playing the sport but most importantly to continue with the legacy of sport development. Softball is not just a sport, it is a vibrant community that fosters teamwork, discipline, and resilience,” he said. Morule said Botswana was once a regional powerhouse in softball and now they have an opportunity to reignite that spirit.
“It is going to be very difficult for BNSC to continue to consider supporting and funding your international competitions when you are failing to organise regional competitions. What will it take to organise the Zone VI competition, even between you and South Africa because you are the ones who compete internationally,” he said. Morule said if they fail to compete at home, it is impossible to do so abroad. Softball legend and former national team coach, Labbeaus Peloewetse, said the softball community must be aware that as the league starts, there is work to be done. “The BSA became strong because of the leadership in place; people who contributed everything. They even used their vehicles to construct the National Diamond. Commitment is important. You will become a successful sport and become attractive,” he said. Peloewetse said softball used to be the number one sport throughout the 1980s, together with tennis
. “I was disappointed during the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Africa qualifier when the Botswana team protested, refusing to play. Administrators, talk to your players, you do not attract sponsors by being disorganised and undisciplined,” Peloewetse said. For his part, Mukokomani said he had noted the concerns and anxiety about the lack of softball on the playing field. “As softball, we have taken a deliberate decision that we will focus on development. To ease your anxiety, I can assure you that we are in discussion with various entities with a view to say to them that they are a viable partner and we are a viable sport,” he said. Mukokomani observed that the absence of School Sport has taught them a lesson that they have a duty to refocus and begin to deliberately make an effort to develop softball. “We have half a decade of sport lost. We have half a decade of athletes lost. Not just in softball, they did not have a stop-gap measure. We are going at it aggressively,” he said.