Upbeat softball team targets gold
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday March 1, 2024 13:07
Botswana enters the fray keen to get the proverbial monkey off their backs for its perpetual losses to the host, SA. Lesotho completes the trio of participants as the teams vie for two slots reserved for Africa in the men’s softball World Cup. South Africa narrowly defeated Botswana 4-3 to secure a ticket to the 2022 World Cup.
The WBSC has introduced a new two-stage format involving a total of 18 participating teams, with Africa now receiving an additional ticket for the World Cup. However, this time, the technical squad, led by head coach Tony Moyo, has assembled a youthful team with a clear instruction: to go for the gold medal.
The team has been in camp in Jwaneng, where the final 17 men were selected, including pitcher Kagiso Mogale, the most experienced player. Mogale has a capable deputy in Pamidzani Madzulugwa, who gained exposure from pitching in Canada for a sustained period. Moyo told MmegiSport before departure on Wednesday that the most crucial aspect is to ensure that the players remain composed during the tournament. “During our camp, all players gave their best. Selection was performance-based, with subjective issues also taken into account.
Those who made it into the team or did not make it understand the reasons behind that. Those dropped from the side will have an opportunity to make a comeback, and those with injuries will have time to recover. We did everything we could to put ourselves in a better position to compete. We started our preparations this year but pushed our players to be competition-ready,” Moyo said. Regarding stage fright during the competition, Moyo explained that it typically occurs when a player is at bat and the team needs a hit, which puts pressure on the player.
“Athlete panic is caused by concern about the outcome of the results. By showing an athlete how to get a hit and understanding their strengths, they can execute that. A player can calm themselves and refocus, as every pitch is important. In softball, you can fail at-bat, but what is important is how to bounce back from that failure. We have discussed these issues,” he said. Moyo noted that World Cup qualifiers come with a lot of pressure and emphasised the need for self-confidence. He said, unfortunately, the team travels without a sports psychologist.
Regarding Mogale’s shoulder injury, Moyo said there is documented proof that the pitcher has been attending rehabilitation and physiotherapy sessions since September and resumed training in December, which means he is fit to compete. Meanwhile, Moyo stated that to achieve his target of a gold medal, he will need to go through the round-robin stage and analyse his team's performance, as well as opponents' strengths and weaknesses. He believes this will enable him to secure the elusive medal. Botswana has participated in the World Cup eight times, with its best finish being in position eight in Whitehorse, Canada, in 2017. Botswana appeared in five consecutive World Cups from 1992 to 2009. Moyo faces the significant challenge of ensuring that the team returns to the global stage after missing out on the 2022 edition.
“On paper, people might think that the group with the United States of America (USA), who are also the defending champions, is easier. Others might think that the group with Canada is easier, but you have to appreciate that a country like New Zealand is going through a transformation of players. It is young players who want to prove themselves.
We know those countries; whether we end up in Canada or USA, we need to study them, find loopholes in the type of games they play,” Moyo said. He emphasised that pitching has always been the hallmark of Botswana's softball, and there is a need to improve it.
Fixtures: March 1: Botswana vs Lesotho (10am), Botswana vs South Africa (4pm). March 2: Third place vs second place (11am). Final (3pm).