10 Apr 2022

Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC), on Saturday, launched Debswana Re Ba Bona Ha Basketball Centre in Maun.

A total of 100 primary school learners were introduced to the sport at the event. The centre is the second in the country, following the first in Gaborone in 2013. 

Officially launching the centre, Debswana corporate affairs manager, Louis Baseki, stated that Maun was blessed with talent as evidenced by the likes of 400m World champion and Olympian Amantle Montsho and 400m Olympian, Galefele Moroko. 

He said being a successful sport person was determined by passion. 

He indicated that several elements could hinder growth of an athlete, therefore, it was imperative that an athlete should uphold discipline at all times. 

Baseki challenged BNSC to make an impact in Re Ba Bona Ha programme by ensuring that future sport stars were provided with proper sport attire. 

He said Debswana would appreciate a progress report that would outline how many athletes had graduated from the programme. He highlighted that Debswana had injected P6 million in the programme for the next three years. “Botswana has talent and as Debswana we want to see Re Ba bona Ha expand to rural areas in order to identify as many young talents as possible,’’ Baseki said. BNSC board member, Dr Khaulani Fichani, said the new centre was meant to unearth talent around Maun and offer opportunity to young people with passion to play basketball. 

He highlighted that the programme had experienced a tremendous growth in other sport codes such football, chess and boxing.  He told learners that it was important for them to strike a balance in education and sport, while they were still at school so that their academics would not suffer. Fichani thanked primary school teachers and coaches for introducing basketball to learners and further encouraged pupils to attend  practice at Maun Sport Complex. 

Botswana Basketball Association president, Boineelo Hardy, reiterated that Maun had a lot of potential to prosperous sport personalities. She stated that through sport one could go far in life not just on the sport ground, but also as a sport administrator or technical advisor. She advised the children to stay focused and committed to ensure future basketball stars were produced in Maun. Hardy commended Debswana for contributing to sport growth. She thanked Tawana and Bonatla primary schools in Maun for facilitating children to participate in this launch and parents for releasing their children. 

Bombadi/Thito ward councillor Kebonyemodisa Ramolapo thanked BNSC for choosing Maun as a basketball centre. 

He called on teachers to liaise with parents to inform them about their children playing basketball to avoid any conflict in future. 

He said sport was an opportunity for one to showcase their talent and further make a living through professional sport. ends