Ex-Netball Skipper Gets International Nod
Koketso Kgoboge | Monday September 10, 2018 12:26
This is after leaving a positive impression when the country hosted a memorably successful youth world netball Cup last year.
The Maun-born has been growing in the netball circles behind the scenes as an official after she retired from her playing days back in 2015.
In fact, she started management while still a player in 2014, as the competitions manager for the Africa Youth Games that were held in Gaborone.
She will represent the country and the international netball federation as a technical delegate at the FISU (International University Sports Federation) games that will be held in Uganda.
United States of America, Singapore and Sri Lanka are amongst the powerhouse nations that will be competing against Africa’s Uganda, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. The games will be played in Kampala, Uganda from September 17 to September 21, 2018.
Retshabile is expected to fly to the East African country today to conduct the technical official’s course in preparations for the games. She had just returned from Zambia where she served in a similar capacity at the Africa Netball Tournament that also served as a 2019 World Cup qualifier. The tournament was held last month. The 37-year-old has not looked back since the 2014 Africa Youth Games, having developed as a competition manager. In 2015 she was a competitions manager for Botswana Games and a competitions manager for the Africa qualifiers in 2016. She was also accredited technical official tutor for Africa in the same year.
She delivered an exciting Netball Youth World Cup as a competitions manager when the international stage had all eyes set on the nation when Botswana became the first African country to host a netball world cup.
Retshabile is not astounded by the recognition she is getting. She credits it to commitment, hard work and the love of netball. She admitted the nation has a lot to do to develop the game, but in her part, she is contributing to the development of officials.
“I am happy with my achievements by far and I am happy that I am representing my country, it shows we are significant to the netball world despite our shortfalls locally,” she said.
“This is my way of giving back to the sport and it should be an encouragement for other former players to tow the line and assist in developing the local game.”She said she is also engaged in training officials locally that have been helping local associations such as Botswana Integrated Sports Association, Botswana Primary School Sports Association and others.
She said Botswana has made progress in developing officials and three locals have been selected to officiate at the Africa Games.
“I do train officials, and I have moved to train players in our leagues to officiate. “This is to prepare them so that after their playing games they won’t be lost to netball as it has been the case in the past.”Retshabile started playing netball as a shooter while a pupil at Boteti Primary School in Orapa. She joined Orapa Wanderers while a Junior Secondary student in 1993 and played five years for the Diamond Girls before Notwane recruited her in 1998.
At Notwane she played both as a shooter and a defender. She was Notwane’s team captain from 2005 to 2011 and had won a number of accolades with the powerhouse.
She has 90 senior national team caps and she was the national team captain in 2011. She also played for the junior national team. She played at Notwane until she decided to end her playing days in 2015.