Boxing grassroots programme extends to Phikwe
The Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) joined hands with the Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA) and the Debswana Diamond Company over the weekend to launch a boxing grassroots development programme (Re Ba Bona Ha) centre in Selebi-Phikwe.
The programme is targeting children of five to 15 years of age in different sporting disciplines. Boxing has been part of Re Ba Bona Ha for over a decade since launching their first centre in Lobatse in 2011.
The Phikwe centre brings to four, the number of boxing centres around the country with centres also in Molepolole and Gantsi. Speaking during the launch held at Ikageleng Community Hall, Selebi-Phikwe town mayor, Lucas Modimana urged BoBA to ensure that the centre remains operational and unearth boxing talent in his town.
He called on the Phikwe business community and other stakeholders to support the centre for it to remain sustainable and produce good athletes. Debswana corporate affairs manager, Louis Baseki called on the coaches to use the resources availed to them to their benefit and help change the lives of the young athletes through sport. “Debswana fully supports grassroots sport development as evidenced by the P6 million sponsorship for Re Ba Bona Ha for the next three years,” Baseki said.
He said the sponsorship should also be used to develop grassroots coaches to reach their full potential. For his part, the BNSC board member, Geoffrey Gare also encouraged BoBA to continue with efforts to develop sport from grassroots so that they can reap benefits at elite level.