Personal Assistant, Ms Malebogo Mophalane from University of Botswana Legal Services, has been appointed Botswana Netball Association (BONA) Senior National Team Manager.
Ms Mophalane was appointed on January 30, 2020. This means that she is the custodian of the senior national netball team. Her responsibility is to assemble of athletes as and when needed for any assignment as well as to ensure their welfare is taken care of.
The position is on voluntary basis given that BONA is a non-profit organisation with the mandate of developing netball in Botswana. BONA is, therefore, an affiliate of Botswana National Sports Commission which is run through the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development.
Her appointment has also been acknowledged and supported by the Vice Chancellor, Professor David Norris, who in a letter of acknowledgement said he was happy for Ms Mophalane’s appointment as a national team leader. It aligns well with the University’s strategic value of community engagement.
Therefore, in wishing Ms Mophalane a productive tenure, Professor Norris said he trusted that she would add value in all endeavours of developing and growing netball in the country.
Ms Mophalane is no stranger to a leadership position, having served in the Southern African Universities Staff Sports Association (SAUSSA) as Vice President Administration for two years.
The association comprises affiliated member universities from southern African countries that include Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Ms Mophalane has in the past also played a leading role in the Notwane Netball Team during the National Under-20 Youth Tournament. Some of the players she worked with graduated to national team structures.
She noted in an interview with UB News that having played such big roles has imbued her with the necessary experience and skills to work with young girls especially on issues that were aimed at advancing the interests and welfare of the girl child.
She said she was over the moon for the appointment in that it was a vote of confidence in her leadership abilities. In addition, she said she was excited to be recognised as someone who could add value to athletes given her passion for activities that contribute to the grooming of the girl child as future leaders.
Ms Mophalane promised to work hard to mentor young girls to become world class athletes as well as to mould them into women of substance who can assert themselves in any sphere.
Meanwhile, in her prime Ms Mophalane participated in the Confederation of University and Colleges Sports Associations (CUCSA) Games in Namibia in 1995.