11 Oct 2023

Over 100 budding soccer players are expected to descend the MmaMasire grounds in Gaborone West on Saturday to fine tune their skills on the beautiful game.

Footballers Union of Botswana (FUB) in partnership with Engen Botswana has organised this year’s event, which was put on hold by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Project coordinator and former Township Rollers midfielder, Lesego Molemogi said the event had attracted under 13 years boys and girls from Township Rollers youth development teams and Top Stars Football Academy.

Molemogi, who is a product of Top Stars academy, said the coaching sessions would be led by legends of the game including among others former Zebras stars Phenyo Mongala, Joel Mogorosi, Diphetogo Selolwane, Vincent Kgaswane, Tebogo Mothusi and Onalethata Tshekiso alongside The Mares icons Bonang Mosetlha, Nondi Matlhasela and Kgomotso Molefhe.

He said the coaching clinics were done a couple of years ago before the advent of the pandemic, which put all their plans on a hiatus.

Molemogi said they were pleased with their new partners Engen Botswana for the weekend’s trial period in Gaborone and were planning to spread their wings in the near future and based on the success of the trial sessions.

He said they were targeting areas which had developed football academies and were aiming to inspire those already in the game.

The project coordinator said they had engaged former Zebras legends especially part of the AFCON 2012 team that made history to come and share their expertise about the game.

Kgaswane, a then 16-year-old soccer prodigy became the first Motswana to play professional football in Europe plying his trade in the Finnish first division.

Selolwane played in the US before making a mark in top flight football in South Africa playing for Santos, University of Pretoria, Ajax Cape Town, Supersport and Jomo Cosmos.

Molemogi said the youngsters were set to benefit from this wealth of experience.

“As part of our objectives to guide young and future players we have embarked on conducting coaching clinics at grassroots level in townships and rural communities.

During these sessions the youngsters will be drilled on game simulation, tactical training, game understanding and positioning among others,” he added.

The sessions will run from 8am to 11am. Ends