Botswana, Kasane: Yesterday marked the official groundbreaking of the community sports facility in Kasane. Speaking at the event, Minister of Youth, Gender, Sport, and Culture Tumiso Rakgare said the facility is strategically intended to achieve several objectives espoused in the National Agenda as the government’s intent to develop the country and further attain the aspirations of vision 2036.
He highlighted that the Ministry recognizes the role played by physical activity, Sport and recreation in community development as well as in addressing social problems faced by communities. “On the other hand, sport also presents an important opportunity through which youth can be engaged and motivated.”
Rakgare alluded that “When fully developed, the facility will diversify the tourism offerings that Kasane is traditionally known for, with sports tourism being the key element”.
The components within the facility: a perimeter fence enclosing 6 hectares, a football pitch with natural turf, athletics tracks with compacted soil, and a volleyball and netball court. Rakgare appealed to the audience to utilize the facility to promote both intra and inter-district sporting competitions for the district to produce world-class athletes.
Area Member of Parliament and Minister of Justice Machana Ronald Shamukuni thanked the Ministry for such a lifelong gift.
Minister of Youth, Gender, Sport, and Culture also launched their Sporty Friday in which they launched Emmanuel Ramoshebi, popularly known as Ramos is a student-athlete based in the USA, St. Louis, Missouri, through the support of Botswana National Sports Commission and the Botswana Basketball Association.
Ramoshebi is a semi-professional basketball player who has represented the country in different international and national competitions for over ten years. He has played both 3×3 and five-on-five tournaments.
Ramos earned his stripes (playing for the country) at the age of 16. He credits his success to hard work, hunger for growth in the Sport, and support from family, friends and his local basketball club, Troopers, who’ve helped him become the player and the man that he is today.
His advice to younger players or any sportsmen is that it takes hunger and determination to be successful in all aspects of life. He laments that sacrifices are to be made if one wants to succeed in all they do.
His mantra is – STAY disciplined and know your WHY and WHERE!
Emmanuel currently plays for the St Louis Griffins in the USA. He has also been a team player for the Northwest Eagles in South Africa…he is very proud to be flying the blue, black and white flag high.