Sports

From the Sports Desk

Holistic education could not be accomplished without the dedication shown by the school towards sporting development and excellence. With two courts each for basketball, volleyball, netball and tennis, a rugby field, football field and a 25-meter swimming pool, our facilities have gained both local and regional recognition. These coupled with the school’s appointment of some of Botswana’s top coaches, have enabled the development of top junior athletes, some of whom have represented Botswana in African and Olympic Games

It is through this dedication to a rigorous sporting programme that MaP has managed to excel in various competitive sports. Traditionally, teams are selected through trials and are placed into two major categories – junior and senior. Our junior teams are U15’s while our seniors are U19’s. However, there are situations such as the Independent Secondary Sports Association (ISSSA) tournaments, where other categories may be requested, such as U14 or U16 to take part in competitions.  In recognition that not all our students possess equal athletic ability, a series of social sporting codes have also been introduced.

With few events locally, our teams regularly play in South African school tournaments and leagues. MaP also enjoys a close relationship with Waterford in Swaziland, where our senior teams travel for tournaments in Football, Basketball, Netball and Volleyball. Our junior teams, particularly Form 1’s, enjoy a tour to the International School of South Africa in Mafikeng. Plans are underway to schedule a junior team’s tour to another destination school in South Africa.

Year in year out, the commitment of MaP students to excel not only in the classroom, but also the determination for sporting perfection is impressive. Our juniors look up to our seniors with admiration and envy, hoping that one day they too will have an opportunity to play their part in Championships. I see students preparing to step up to the challenges set by coaches and other players. I see the bonds forged by being on a team together and the lasting bond between various sporting alumni. It is this, I believe, that makes MaP great. It is this that makes MaP different.

Certain sporting codes demand specialized skills and Maru-a-Pula hires external coaches to provide for that need.  This allows our students to excel to the highest levels in their respective activities. In order to encourage challenging competition we not only take part in private (ISSSA) and public (BISA) school tournaments within Botswana, but also compete in international competitions with schools from South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe. As sport continues to grow at MaP, I would like to pay tribute to all the coaches, coordinators and participants for their commitment, devotion and accomplishments. With values such as fair play and sportsmanship, our young men and women are great ambassadors for our school both locally and internationally. As Sports Coordinator, I am always proud to know that the coaches and players give nothing less than their best!

Thank you for perusing the sports pages,

Bruce Nkala
Sports Director 

Mascom- Proud supporter of MaP Sports!