Basketball Ref Dorothy Okatch Riding High
Thato Kala | Monday August 11, 2014 13:31
Her star continues to rise ever higher after attaining the FIBA license in Madagascar last month, hardly 12 months after becoming a zonal referee.
And while all odds were against her with the world basketball governing body, FIBA’s requisite being that she waits for a year after attaining the zonal qualification to try out the international test, the assertive official still went ahead with the help of Botswana Basketball Association (BBA).
“BAA asked FIBA to allow me to attend although my (zonal) licence was not one year,” she tells Monitor Sport.
Botswana sent three officials to sit for the test to become international referees and they all failed. But the 66 laps in eight minutes, a theory test and the practical session could no longer be a stumbling block for Okatch, who dreams of officiating at the 2019 FIBA World Cup.
“They also give you a game situation just to see whether you will cope under such a situation. You also do a practical session and an instructor will be watching you,” she says of the licensing exercise.
Okatch is noticeably thrilled by the achievement. “It is like a dream come true,” she says. For her, it all started in Namibia where she was a level three before becoming a national referee.
Interestingly, Okatch says refereeing happened by accident.
During her days in Namibia where she was studying, she would attend high school league games and discovered the youngsters were refereeing for themselves.
“I just went to see what was happening, and when I learnt kids were refereeing for themselves. I didn’t know the rules at the time but because my coach Charles Nyambe used to preach the rules of the game a lot during training sessions I felt I was in a better position. So I picked up the whistle and had fun,” she explains.
After that day, she found herself going back there every other weekend. This went on for two years.
Over the years, she has developed her understanding of the laws of the game by continually reading the laws of the game.
BBA public relations officer, James Kalebwe hails her for being extremely conversant with basketball laws.
“The one thing she is excellent at is knowing the laws of the game,” says Kalebwe.
Dolphins and national team star, Ofentse Churchill Barrows says one can see her professionalism in a simple school league game. “She is dedicated to keeping up with officiating standards in higher leagues and competitions and you see that clearly in her professionalism,” says Barrows, who was recently in America for a basketball training camp. The notorious ace, Barrows, is known for putting pressure on officials, but when it is Okatch in charge, she always has him under control.
“Hands down, anyone would agree she is not too tough, but very fair. No surprise she attained her international qualification,” he says. She attributes her love for the laws of the game to her former coach Nyambe.
“When it comes to interpretation I have a knack for that. Charles Nyambe believed so much in knowing the rules. So I was raised as a referee with the rules. I continue to read the rules and see what is new and, for me, the rules are a stroll in the park.” Her first dance with basketball was in 1999 at Ledumang Senior Secondary School while doing her form five. Then, it was a fun thing.
Fast forward to date, she has also had lots of success as a player. While at the University of Namibia studying towards a Degree in Social Work, she made the universities select four times and also won the universities’ competition with UNAM.
She won two successive national titles with Namibia’s Wild Cats in 2002 and 2003. Last year, Okatch, who had a season’s stint with Botho University’s basketball team, helped Police to a League title. She recalls: “When I joined Police the coach told the players that ‘Dorothy plays, but her first love is refereeing’.”
And that was spot-on as she does not think twice when asked where her adherence lies.
Her dream to ref at the World Cup was stirred by fellow international referee Charles Foster, who told her she had potential to go international.
At the time, she never understood what that would be about, but after inquiring decided she would pursue it.
“I told myself that if I could become that, I would be satisfied,” she says.
Some of the high profile competitions she has officiated in include the 2012 FASU Games in Namibia, the 2014 Swaziland International Tournament, this year’s Universities Basketball Championships in South Africa, COSSASA and CUCSA Games.
She admits the standard of local refereeing still has a long way to go and believes with proper structures that could change.
“In Namibia we had level one, level two and level three,” she explains.
She has since drawn up a proposal to put up similar structures in the country, but still feels lack of funds will, forever, hamper that area of the game. “We do not have money to pay referees and if there is no money it is difficult to get what you want.”
Basketball referees and table officials do it on a voluntary basis.
“If there is money you tell them if you are not dressed properly or make suspicious calls you will not get your money and you will see people acting,” says the clued-up Okatch. The 31-year-old juggles a couple of major things in her life at the same time and attributes her success to her family and workforce’s backing.
She is a mother, studying towards her Masters, working for a non-governmental organisation Stepping Stones International and actively involved as a player for Police.
“If I did not have a supportive family I would not have done any of this,” she says appreciatively.
She adds: “I also have a supportive workforce because when Madagascar came I had no leave days but because I had earlier told them of my dream to become an international ref, they let me go.”
Okatch was born in Uganda and came to Botswana with her parents, who were political refugees. After losing their parents, together with her five siblings, they applied for citizen and were granted. She will only return to Uganda to officiate a basketball game and return ‘home’.
“I would love to go to Uganda, I am keeping fingers crossed that one day they will invite me to come and officiate a game there,” she says, adding she has no interest living in the East African country.
“This is the only country I relate to as home.” She challenges women to take steps and develop themselves in their respective passions. Her experiences have taught her that she can unlock doors for herself.
Okatch missed out on the first zonal test because of pregnancy and could have missed the next because there were no funds in the association’s coffers.
“There was no money in the federation when Zimbabwe came and I took money from my pocket and went there.”
Her inspiration as a woman is to ensure her daughter looks up to her one day and say ‘wow, she did it’.
And clearly, being Africa’s referee number 102 is not about to be the ceiling for her refereeing career. She is bullish about blowing the whistle at the World Cup in five years’ time.