Sturdy Serufho vows to tackle BNOC challenges

MQONDISI DUBE
Staff Writer | Friday February 5, 2010 00:00

Power, grit and a mix of abrasiveness is what Serufho will need as he begins his tenure as the new Botswana National Olympics Committee (BNOC) chief executive officer. An empty desk with just two laptops and a few papers lie on Serufho's desk, which are an immediate reminder of a new man in the job.

But sooner than later, the in and out trays will be full. Serufho is under no illusions about the job. He knows it is not for the meek.

'I know it is a pressure job but I am up to the challenge,' he told Mmegi Sport at his new office this week. With a strong voice, Serufho oozes confidence as he talks about his road map. The former Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) research and projects officer said he has the credentials to succeed at his new post.

He has been involved in sports since his formative years with tennis particularly close to his heart. Serufho is an International Tennis Federation (ITF) - accredited coach. He represented the country as a tennis player.

He has always been confident of landing the BNOC job. 'The positive changes that I brought at the BNSC made me confident although I am aware that there were other able people vying for the job,' Serufho said. He said his immediate task is to ensure that the secretariat is effective through capacity building. 'The aim is to get the right skills at the right quantities in order to drive the mandate of the BNOC,' he said. He added that such a move will put the organisation in a position to attract strategic partners to ensure development. Such strategic partners include sponsors who are key to the growth of sports in the country.

Serufho said the ultimate goal is to create a conducive environment for sportspersons to excel. He said that already, there is an ambitious plan to push sports to another level.

The 35-year-old executive acknowledges the ever present challenge of finance.'We need funding. There might not be sufficient money for us to deliver. Again we do not have expertise in the right quantities,' he said of the challenges that he is facing. The Botswana Games general manager added that the challenge of human resource can be overcome by getting expertise from other fields. He said sports in Botswana has made strides although not at the desired pace. 'There is forward movement but perhaps not at the pace we want.

 At the Beijing Olympics, there are some athletes who made the finals and that is a sign of growth. But I still believe there is a lot we can do to propel sports to dizzy heights,' Serufho said.

He said it is heartening that the new Minister of Sports, Youth and Culture, Shaw Kgathi and President Ian Khama are passionate about sports.

This guarantees government commitment to sports, which has in the past suffered because of inadequate funding. 'The time is now to revolutionise sports. It consoles us that the President (Khama) and Kgathi are passionate about sports.'

Serufho said Botswana can scale new heights at the London 2012 Olympics and better the performance in Beijing in 2008. He said the major hurdle in the past has been late preparations, but this has been rectified. Preparations for the 2012 event are underway. He believes the poor performance in past Olympics was due to lack of financial support. 'If there was enough support, our teams were not going to struggle. We understand that we are emerging from an economic recession, but that should not slow government funding,' Serufho said.

Besides the London Olympics, Serufho will focus on sending a strong team to the Youth Games in Singapore in April and the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India in October. He is aware that he could possibly be the youngest chief executive officer in sport but he is not fazed. Instead, he sees his age as an advantage as he still has energy.

'It does cross my mind that I might be the youngest CEO, but I am up to the task. The good thing about me is that I am willing to listen, I consult where necessary but it doesn't mean I can't take decisions on my own,' Serufho said. He feels that more young people should be appointed to executive positions as they are vibrant and likely to bring fresh ideas.Serufho pleaded with the public to be tolerant as he implements his ideas. 'I plead with people to understand that it is not going to be an easy ride.' Serufho spent most of his childhood in Selebi-Phikwe. He is married to Matshidiso.

Tuelo Serufho fact fileAge: 35 yearsEducational qualifications:  Diploma in Secondary EducationB.A in Sports and RecreationPost-graduate coursesSports involvement:   Former BNSC research and projects officer 2009 Botswana Games general managerFormer tennis player ITF accredited tennis coach