05 Nov 2024

In its quest to bring the softball game to its glory days, the Botswana Softball Association (BSA), through the office of the technical director, is engaged in projects to resuscitate all the development structures. 

In a recent interview with BOPA at an occasion where the BSA was engaged in a development programme at the National Diamond in Gaborone, Donald Ferguson of the technical development team said grass roots development was a fundamental component of growing the sport. 

Ferguson said the development programme was in adherence to the guidebook and policies of the BSA. 

He said the plan was to focus on a long-term athlete development programme consisting of five stages. 

Ferguson said the programme comprises the retention stage, focusing on aged and retired players aged 35 years and above. 

He said the cohort was to assist in officiating, regulating the sport with the view of retaining the much needed experience that will build and guide the sport. 

“Our retention stage is coordinated by the Botswana Softball Masters Association (BOSMA), as it was the arsenal of the sport with all the retired players and administrators. All the people with the brains to build the sport are at BOSMA. 

“We are working hand in hand with them to come up with structures where they could impart their knowledge. 

We are doing so to retain their expertise in the game,” he said. Ferguson also said the other stage of the programme, which was the train to win stage, was focused on the elite players being those in the national teams. 

“There was the train to compete stage. Our emphasis was more on the train to compete stage, which was a feeder group to the elite stage,” he noted. 

Ferguson said the stage was focused on the teen category covering secondary school students. 

He said the fundamental stage of the development was for the 13 years and below category. 

As part of the U-13 development, Ferguson said the BSA has partnered with the Independent Schools Association (ISA), and will be hosting the finals of the U-13 softball championship on November 8-9, 2024 at the National Diamond. 

He said the finals would feature select teams made up of players from private schools in the North and South regions of the country. 

“They will be here to showcase their talent. The fundamental stage is the crucial part of development,” he said. 

Ferguson also added that engaging in schools championship for the U-13 players was equally preparing the BSA to fully engage and run the Re Ba Bona Ha (RBBH) programme. 

He said through the RBBH, the Centres of Schools of Excellence (CSE) and the out of school programmes, the children were given an opportunity to play softball. Ferguson said the association was aware of all challenges affecting the development of softball, therefore the programme was to come up with solutions to address them and make sure the sport goes back to its glory days. 

He said being fragmented would not produce the desired results, therefore a lot has to be done. 

Ferguson said the BSA president, Tirelo Mukokomani, has made it clear that the focus of the association must be more on the development programmes. 

“Between now and the end of the year, we will be working tirelessly with the support and guidance of the Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC), identifying where we have gone wrong to interactively develop softball. 

I must say things are looking good for our sport,” he said. Ferguson said before the resumption of the ongoing league, all the BSA affiliates (clubs) were given a guide on development. 

“We have created a data base and getting statistics from them on their development relating to numbers of registered players and their ages so that we can help them create a proper structure catering for development of players and all other structures of the game.

“I would basically say, for now until the end of the year, we are on the ground carrying out investigations and the outcome of such will guide our way forward. 

We are collecting data to help in fully rolling out all the development stages to be used effectively,” he said. Ends