In its continued efforts to develop the wrestling sport in Botswana, Botswana Wrestling Federation will on the 11th January 2025 embark on countrywide training sessions targeting kids aged in the range between 5 to 15.
The training sessions will be held in Selebi Phikwe, Damochujenaa, Letlhakane, Werda and Palapye. The training is targeting a total of 25 wrestlers in each village, but the numbers are expected to increase during the course of the year.
In an interview, Botswana Wrestling Federation Coach Dr Moagi Sharp told Times Sport that he is targeting the said five places because he realised that it is very important to attract female wrestlers in to the wrestling activities, hence they will be recruiting them but not forgetting male wrestlers. Sharp stated that their intention is to sensitize the wrestlers about the importance of gender equality.
‘‘We believe that grassroots development is the only way to unearth and nature raw wrestling talent hence we will be focusing on it to produce wrestlers who can compete at international competitions in future,” he said.
According to Sharp, the training sessions are every important because they will enable them to identify potential wrestlers who can represent Botswana at international competitions focusing their attention on Youth Olympics which will be held for the first time in Africa in Senegal next year 2026.
Sharp has further expressed that another important thing about the training camps is to give wrestlers an opportunity to learn wrestling techniques and to teach them discipline at a tender age because currently they have challenges of gender based violence that is sky rocketing in the country. As such, Sharp noted that through the training sessions they will also be sensitizing young wrestlers about gender based violence in general.
‘‘Another importance of these training sessions is to impart the knowledge and skills I got from the just ended Intuthuko Wrestling Coaching Course that I attended in Pretoria, South Africa. As a Level 3 Coach it will help our young wrestlers to learn wrestling techniques easily from an experienced coach of my calibre,” he said.
He has since encouraged community members to attend the training sessions since they are allowed to watch them and to feel free to register for the Entertainment wrestling style open for all.
