I leave chess a better product - Sitale

MOSAH MOKGANEDI
Staff Writer | Friday May 17, 2013 00:00

As BCF affiliates converge on Mokala Lodge in Jwaneng tomorrow for the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and executive elections, Sitale will not seek re-election. The 32-year-old former Letlhakane Senior Secondary School player believes he has played his part and it is time to pass on the baton.

Sitale has been in charge for five years. He took over in 2008 as an interim president after a motion of confidence was passed on the former president. The Tutume born former chess star steps down a proud man. He said his priority when he took over was to rebrand chess, something that he believes he has achieved.

'When I took over, chess was just an indoor sport that most people did not relate with,' he said. At the time the sport was bedevilled by a lot of problems something that made stakeholders lose trust its administrators. In fact at the time Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) was on the verge of taking over the running of the sport.However, Sitale managed to convince the council otherwise. Under Sitale the chess body also restructured itself and came up with a new constitution. The youthful president explained that in the past the AGMs used to be held just in any place without a proper programme.  

Despite all the achievements Sitale said his reign was not without hiccups. The committee inherited debts from the previous committees. Indiscipline was also rife. 'I must say there were some committee members who did not share my vision,' he told Mmegi Sport. Sitale said it was difficult to fire people who were not committed to the chess cause because the sport does not have a large pool of volunteers.

'My leadership style is the one that believes in turning a team of rascals into a winning team,' he said.  He, however, said there are things that he could have done better. ' I had a dream of developing a club house but that has not been possible,' he said.  Sitale's advice to his successor is to focus on grassroots development and ensure the league is played consistently.