Botswana’s BDF Cats Netball Club has secured third place at the Confederation of Southern Africa Netball Association (COSANA) Club Championships held in Windhoek, Namibia from the 22nd May to the 26th May 2025.
The Botswana Netball Association (BONA) had selected three local netball teams to represent the country at the tournament which included Jwaneng Netball Club, BDF Netball Club, and Maun Heroes.
However, due to financial constraints Police Netball Club and Maun Heroes, both of whom earned their spots through outstanding league performances, unfortunately could not participate in the tournament. As a result, only two teams BDF Cats and Jwaneng Netball Club represented Botswana.
BDF Cats managed to fight a battle and advanced to the semi-finals of the tournament, where they lost 27-41 against Namibia Correctional Services which earned the third position.
Eswatini’s Royal Flames emerged the tournament champions after defeating Zimbabwean Defence Force (ZDF) Queens 47-44.
In an interview, Botswana Netball Association spokesperson Stanley Modibedi said although BDF Cats lost 27–41 at the semi-finals against the Namibia Correctional Services, the team has however showed great skill and determination throughout. He stressed that BDF Cats’ performance was commendable and a true reflection of the talent and resilience within local clubs.
Modibedi expressed that the COSANA Club Championships was of great importance to Botswana as it provide a platform for local clubs to gain regional exposure, test their competitiveness against top teams from other Southern African nations, and sharpen their skills. He noted that participation in the tournament helps them to assess their development progress, identify areas for improvement, and foster regional sporting relations.
“It also motivates our athletes and technical teams to aspire to higher standards, ultimately contributing to the growth of netball in Botswana,” he said.
According to Modibedi, BONA selected the participating teams based on their performance in the LUCARA Netball League, with the top four teams earning qualification to represent Botswana at the COSANA Club Championships. He highlighted that this merit-based selection ensures that their most competitive clubs are given the opportunity to showcase their talents at the regional level.
Meanwhile, the COSANA tournament which returned after a 20-year hiatus featured 11 top netball clubs from across Southern Africa, including teams from host nation Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Eswatini and Lesotho.
Pool A group was made up of Wanderers Netball Club (Namibia), Namibia Correctional Services (Namibia), Maun Heroes NC (Botswana), Jwaneng NC (Botswana), Makate High Flyers (Zimbabwe), and Royal Flames (Eswatini).
Pool B featured Namibian Navy NC (Namibia), Mighty Gunners NC (Namibia), BDF Cats NC (Botswana), Lesotho Correctional Services NC (Lesotho), and ZDF Queens NC (Zimbabwe).
