Botswana Cricket Association (BCA) is working hard to take the sport to every corner of the country
BCA partnership with Khakhea Sport Commission (KSC) hosted a two-day orientation workshop in the village conducted by cricket national team coach, Joseph Angara in line with the BCA’s motto of ‘Bringing Cricket to the Nation’.
Participants who took part included teachers, sportsmen/women and volunteers from the village.
According to a member of the KSC, Kitso Dlamini, they value the relationship and partnership they have with the BCA to grow cricket in the village and surrounding areas.
“We are grateful to have partnered with BCA to introduce and develop cricket in our village. Those who attended the two-day workshop are expected to introduce and train kids in the village on the sport of cricket. They are expected to introduce the sport to the two schools – Khakhea Primary School and Khakhea Secondary School,” said the delighted Dlamini.
He said BCA had pledged to help them to support them in their effort to introduce the sport in their village and will also provide the necessary technical support.
Dlamini said the course was attended by 10 community volunteers from the village and expectation is high from the BCA and the community that youngsters will take to the sport.
BCA gave the 10 course attendants cricket equipment to use in their endeavor to develop the sport in the region.
Dlamini said they had set themselves a target of three years in which they would want to produce top cricket athletes in the village who would compete at par with their colleagues from other regions.
“We want to produce top cricket youngsters who will compete well their peers from other region and who will also be constant members of national teams,” Dlamini said.
“We will be giving BCA periodical reports on the progress of the sport in the village. BCA will be joining us in hosting training camps during school holidays for the students,” explained Dlamini. Their aim is to compete with regions such as Kweneng, Kgatleng, Lobatse and others
Dlamini also encouraged the parents to support the initiative to spread the sport in the village. “Parents are key stakeholders in this project. They need to support their kids and encourage them to commit to the sport,” he observed.
BCA chief executive officer Girish Ramakrishna said: “We are delighted for the local community to have taken the initiative to drive the sport in their village. The group comprised of individuals from different professions and it will be easy for them to give back to the community they come from as a way of social responsibility,” observed Ramakrishna. He observed that the initiative will help to tap talent at grassroots level. “It is also a feeder to BCA development programme and it will also help to create wider pool for national team athletes,” Ramakrishna said.
“We want use sport to influence behavioral change against engaging in bad activities that can ruin one’s life,” Dlamini said. KSC executive committee is made up of Daniel Kearabeng as Chairman, assisted by Amantle Kono, Banda Maswabi is the Treasurer and Secretary Amogelang Magosi is assisted by Idah Moinisi while the Publicity Secretary is Tshepiso Jankome. Additional members are Onthusitse Mexico Moinisi and Dlamini.
