Softball Extravaganza prize money to increase to P50, 000

CALISTUS KOLANTSHO
Correspondent | Thursday July 18, 2013 00:00

Mahupela revealed the figure to Mmegi Sport over the weekend. He said the idea is to make the tournament grow every year. He said the champion will not qualify automatically as has been the case, but will go through the group stages like other teams.The only teams that will enjoy automatic qualification will be the hosts. He said when the competition started five years ago, it was a mere dream but now the dream has become a reality.Mahupela said they want to make sure that Selebi-Phikwe becomes the capital of softball and that will be realized.

Scramblers were crowned this years' winners of the softball extravaganza in the men's tournament that was sponsored by Komatsu.They were victorious after walloping BDF IX 6-0. The champions walked away with P25, 000. Second position went to BDF IX, who pocketed P18, 000 while Gatalamotho came third and took home P15, 000. Rail Giants from Mahalapye were forth and pocketed P10, 000. Panthers took P6, 000 after coming fifth while Wells received P5, 000 in sixth position. Position seven and eight went to Carats and Comets respective and they were awarded P4, 000 each.

Kgomotso Gaomodimo (Scrambers) was chosen the most valuable player and received P1, 000 while Godfrey Mosiamemang also from Scramblers was selected the slugger of the tournament and he also pocketed P1, 000.Bears became the first ladies team to win the tournament back-to-back. The side managed to beat Comets 8-1.The team walked away with P20, 000 and Comets got P15, 000. Wipers finished in third position and walked away with P10, 000. Police IX was in the fourth position and took away P8, 000 with BDF IX ending the tournament in fifth position, pocketing P6, 000.Wells got position six and took home P5, 000. Rail Giants and Carats were each rewarded with P4, 000 each for getting position seven and eight.

Kagiso Lowang of Police IX was chosen as the most valuable player of the tournament and won herself P1, 000 while Tshepho Letsholo (Bears) was selected as the slugger of the tournament also winning herself P1, 000.Meanwhile, a member of the LOC, Oeme Morupisi raised concern that softball has been overtaken by other sporting codes in terms of getting sponsorship, giving an example of netball who have acquired sponsorship worth P2 Million.Morupisi said there is need for the constitution of softball to be amended because it has been overtaken by events.'As a sporting code, we need to have a patron like other codes who will assist us when it comes to acquiring sponsorship. We are the only code without a patron. Potential sponsors are out there, they just need to be approached,' said Morupisi.