Masitara, Seane win top Nico awards
MQONDISI DUBE
Correspondent
| Tuesday July 29, 2008 00:00
Masitara walked away with the Players' Player of the Season and the Top Goal Scorer Awards, which left him P1,000 richer. Masitara had a dream season in which he finished as the country's joint top goal scorer with 18 goals.
Underrated defender, Letsweletse 'Ace' Seane was voted the club's Player of the Season and got P500. Coaches, Madinda Ndlovu and Peter Muchina got the Chairman's Award after being nominated together with utility player, Eric Molebatsi. Chrispen Nyamutambo was voted the club's best goalkeeper ahead of Murambiwa Ndlovu who should count himself unlucky for missing the cut. Ndlovu relegated Nyamutambo to the bench during the course of the season.
Odumetse 'Mascom' Rakoma fittingly won the Most Exciting Player award, beating Master Masiku and Tefo 'T4' Molefe. Derick Ramofi was adjudged the most disciplined player ahead of Gosetsemang 'Laedza' Baruti and Leagile 'Ziza' Mogwera. Masiku was voted the club's Most Consistent Player beating Molebatsi and Ramofi. Thobo 'Fish' Kgoboge, who was away on national duty with the Zebras in South Africa, walked away with the Most Improved Player award, beating Jotham Marufu and Rakoma. Club president, Kavis Kario saluted the players for a job well done. He said running a club is never an easy job because it is like running a country.
'We have remained solid, competent and focused. We have lost games and even got relegated, but we never lost faith. That is the quality of the team,' Kario said. The legislator commended BCL for its sponsorship, saying it had remained a solid partner. 'Our supporters are our sponsors because without them, we would not have complimented what our official sponsors are giving us,' Kario said. He added that in order for the club to succeed, each member should play his or her role. He asserted that through commitment, cooperation, competency and cohesion the club will succeed. 'We must take our fourth finish as a challenge and improve on that position. We should grow our team and strengthen it,' Kario said.
He added that developing the club entailed having branches countrywide rather than in Selebi-Phikwe only. Kario said another way of developing the club is to do away with the stigma that Nico is an institutional side. 'If Centre Chiefs has a sponsor it is ok, but if Nico is sponsored by BCL then we are labelled an institutional team,' Kario said. He explained that the challenge is to attract more sponsors.
He said the club should stop its heavy reliance on BCL. He explained that although the sponsorship is appreciated, it is insufficient as the mine has other financial commitments.
Kario challenged Nico to compete for top honours in the new season saying the team should not be afraid to set itself such a target.