Odds against northern softball players
Calistus Kolantsho | Saturday January 20, 2024 04:46
This week, the Botswana Softball Association (BSA) issued an invitation to players to report for training at the National Diamond in Gaborone and there are already complaints that players from far flung areas were finding it hard to respond to the invitation as they face transport challenges.
This was acknowledged by the BSA in a statement. “At the moment, it is not all players who are attending training sessions. It is only those around Gaborone who can manage to attend. Players who reside outside Gaborone have been encouraged to possibly find other alternatives of training and building fitness,” the statement reads.
A source told MmegiSport that the arrangement is unfair to players from the north, saying the arrangement places them at a disadvantage as only players based in the south and have access to the use of the National Diamond are exposed to the eyes of national team coaches.
The BSA spokesperson, Kelly Monyake, admitted this anomaly describing it as "unfortunate and unfair". She regretted that the arrangement has persisted over a long period. “As it stands, national team call-up is the responsibility of a player. This means that a player has to sponsor themselves to attend camp, while the association avails coaches. We always encourage individual clubs to assist their players in this regard," said Monyake, adding that the coaches have given those unable to attend camp a training programme to follow wherever they are.
With preparations for player selection scheduled to start this week, Monyake said the initial 30 players who have been called would be reduced to 17 at the end of the trails on Sunday. The selections are a precursor to the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Men’s Softball World Cup Qualifier to be played in Mokopane, South Africa from February 26 to March 3, 2024. Meanwhile, veteran Kagiso Mogale, a two-time World Cup pitcher who led Botswana to an eighth-place finish in 2017, has made the list. Mogale makes a comeback after struggling with an injury. Most of the players in the provisional squad have played for the Under-19 team. The same team failed to travel to Argentina for the 2022 Under-23 World Cup Championships. On paper, Botswana has assembled a strong squad with potential to hold its own at international level.
However, there is concern that with only a month left to the World Cup Qualifier in South Africa, the team may not have sufficient time to prepare for the competition. Botswana goes into the qualifier against South Africa which is ranked 33 in the WBSC rankings. The upcoming WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup will be the first in its history to be played under the new two-stage format where the group stages and finals will be held in consecutive years. Botswana's last appearance at the men’s softball World Cup was in Prague, Czech Republic in 2019, where the country finished in position 14.
The provisional squad is as follows: Oreeditse Bareng, Munashe Chibinyani, Brian Dekoker, Mathews Dibeela, Tshepo Ditiro, Seabe Fane, Obakeng Gaobatege, Unaswi Gudu, Kefilve Kenosi, Ofentse Ketshogile, Albert Kganetsano, Moses Kgosimore, Mooketsi Lekomola, Tuelo Mack, Pamidzani Madzulugwa, Mogale, Oneeng Monare, Rannaneng Mothudi, Boikanyo Motlaleng, Karabo Motsholathebe, Therisano Motsilenyane, James Mutoroke,Tefo Ntswaneng, Reuben Office, Kunyalala Samuel, Zibisane Samuel, Kaone Sekate, Eric Simwanza, Mojamorago Speackson and Thabang Tshipa Technical team: Tony Moyo (head coach), Tebogo Makacana (assistant coach), Tapiso Otimile (assistant coach), Jurry Manaka (development coach) and MacDonald Fologang (team manager).