24 Aug 2023

As part of developing table tennis from grassroots level, the Botswana Table Tennis Association (BTTA) has devoted its efforts to establishing youth development centres.

One such facility is the Bontleng Centre with a fulltime coach dedicated to teaching children the game of table tennis at young age.

Also there is a Re Ba Bona Ha centre established at Mabeleapudi in the Central District.

The programme has also extended its services to Ghanzi.

BTTA spokesperson, Tshegofatso Malepa said in an interview recently that the youth development centres provided a platform for the growth and promotion of table tennis among the community.

She said the Mabeleapudi Re Ba Bona Centre was under the stewardship of former table tennis player Boitshwarelo Butale, who was now a level 2 international coach.

The Mabeleapudi development centre, which was launched in July 2022, is housed at Patikwane Junior Secondary School in Mabeleapudi where Butale is also working as a teacher.

The centre was established to take the table tennis sport to the children of Mabeleapudi and Paje.

Even though the Botswana Integrated Sports Association (BISA) activities were currently at a halt, Butale, who is coach and coordinator at the centre, said BTTA was doing something to develop the sport at a young age.

“We see children as young as five years playing table tennis and it is a positive development,” said Butale.

Butale said on a competitive stage, table tennis was not doing well, showing lack of basic skills therefore introducing the sport at a tender age would improve the sport.

She said other than the Mabeleapudi centre, the sport was doing all in its power to grow across the country and there was glimmer of hope.

Butale is hopeful that in the near future, the current group of children that are going through BTTA development structures will have acquired the necessary skills to represent the code well.

She said with the support of parents, the children would be able to continue with the sport and take it seriously, adding that those without support would eventually lose hope.

“Another challenge is that we currently rely on the BTTA to organise tournaments. Back then BISA was there to help and our players were getting more contact.

Without BTTA tournaments there is nothing to do,” she said.

Another BTTA development centre at Moshupa is equally engaged in encouraging children to play table tennis.

Under the tutelage of Godirileone Bagwasi, a table tennis coach and a teacher at Mmanaana Junior Secondary School in Moshupa, who is working hand in hand with another table tennis player, Joseph Kgatampane, the centre has gathered young children and is busy growing table tennis.

Bagwasi said the intention was to captivate and instill table tennis in children of primary school going age, so that they could acquire the much-needed skill at a young age.

Bagwasi has indicated that children were interested in the game as they came in huge numbers surpassing their expectations.

However, Bagwasi said due to the limited resources and time to practice, some of the children were discouraged as everyone wanted to get a chance to play but due to limited resources and time, some would go home without setting foot on the playing field.

“They do not want to go home without playing.

If it happens that one will come for two consecutive days and not play, they will lose hope and never come back,” he said.

In terms of the resources, Bagwasi said the school provided the resources.

Despite the shortcomings, Bagwasi said the sport was attracting satisfactory numbers therefore confident that with the necessary guidance, the sport will in future produce the desired results. ENDS