Sponsor hopes for better badminton turn-out
Calistus Kolantsho | Thursday August 14, 2014 11:09
This is despite last year’s unconvincing turnout of supporters.
The landscaping company’s operations manager, Wabasha Baitshepi said although they did not get enough mileage last year, the company would continue to support the event.
The junior competition takes place this weekend while the seniors would be in action at the end of the month.
“We started sponsoring the tournament last year and the attendance from both the public and players was not convincing.
“Maybe it was because the competition was held over public holidays.
“We hope the situation will improve this time,” he said.
Baitshepi said Hurricanes club approached their company, as they wanted to hold the tournament in honour of late badminton star, Makhura Makhura. The player died in a car accident in 2005.
The deceased, together with Oreeditse Thela, were judged the best team during the 2002 Barloworld Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) awards.
Makhura represented Botswana at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games and won bronze.
The Jwaneng tournament will be divided into singles, doubles and mixed doubles categories. Tournament organiser, Modesto Madzambi said the competition is open to all players aged under 19 years.
Landscape Solutions sponsors the tournament for P7, 500. He could not reveal the prize money as, he said, negotiations with other potential sponsors are underway.
He said the tournament is meant to promote badminton in the country.
Madzambi said the Botswana Badminton Association (BBA) would use the platform to identify players who can be part of the national teams. “We have a programme that is meant to grow the sport.
“One of our intentions is to invite players from outside the country as a way of benchmarking and that will also give our players exposure. “We will also be sending our players outside,” he said.
Madzambi believed that there is a lot of potential among youngsters, which needs to be groomed.
He said if there were cooperation between stakeholders regarding grassroots development, badminton would one day do well.
He said the major obstacle they face at the moment is lack of equipment and qualified instructors.