In their efforts to promote women football across the world, FIFA, through BFA this week held a FIFA women’s international coaching course.
The course ran from the 7th to the 12th of September at Lekidi and attracted women from across the country.
National Development Coach, Jelusic Veselin, extended his gratitude to FIFA development offices for giving the women referees support, stating that this is a great investment to the future of football in this country.
“This is a new great investment and benefit for the future of the entire Botswana football,” he said.
He noted that participants in the course had an opportunity to receive specific and precise information about various aspects of the football game, including technique, tactic, physical preparation and also planning of the game.
“Consequently, it will help our coaches to have successful work in football fields and achieve remarkable results with their teams”, he said.
Veselin noted that the most important thing, other than results and winning, especially when talking about women football, is that it has a social aspect, a social significance to women in the sports. 
Vaselin also said that football, as the most popular and the most extended mass sport, gives wonderful opportunities to youngsters. “When we are talking about healthy aspects using sports activities and football, we can prevent many cardiovascular diseases and complications, which are very prevalent and are a danger in our lives,” he said.
Vesselin added that obesity, diabetes and postural body deformities can also be prevented. Most importantly, he explained that using football, young people can be taught to accept conventional norms of social behavior, to respect other people, to control negative emotions and to maintain positive conduct as well as transfer friendly and fair play behavior from sports fields to everyday social interaction with family members, friends and peers.
Ms Jacqueline Shipanga, FIFA coaching instructor, noted that FIFA continues to make a difference in the lives of the children, youth, adults and, in particular, women. She urged the women to be committed, curious and passionate as all these are what makes FIFA undertake these developments in football. She noted that FIFA’s development programs respond to the needs and deliver real results, urging women to leave out myths that women can only follow and not lead.
“The time has come to set aside childish attitudes that women can only follow and not lead, the time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit, to choose our better history. The time has come for our sisters from Botswana to take their rightful place within the football structure, they are amazing, strong and capable,” she said.
Shipanga added that being a coach, a role considered by many to be for men, holds many responsibilities.
“As female coaches in the women’s game, we have a great opportunity to help raise the standards of women’s football globally as well as acting as positive role models for future generations of female coaches,” she said.
