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The Soukouss Karate Centre based in Kasane has proven to be among the best excelling centres in the country in terms of developing best Karatekas and dominating in both local and international tournaments.
The centre was formed in 2015 after realising that most students both primary and secondary schools have lots of time on their hands after school hours.
Its formation was also meant to bring the local athletes together in order to keep them busy and prevent them from engaging in various social ills.
The centre has a total of 165 students who are from different karate clubs that include Kazungula, Pandamatenga, Kasane, Plateau, Noka Ya Botshelo Private, Chobe JSS and Brigade Technical College. Their age range from four years old and above with some being members of the society who are no longer scholars.
In an interview, founder of the centre Musokobanji Andrew indicated that they have participated in various karate tournaments since 2003 that were organised by Botswana Katate Association (BOKA), BISA, and Japan Karate Association (JKA) both locally and internationally. He noted that in all the tournaments they have managed to win big and brought home some trophies and medals.
He highlighted that in February 2022 they attended BOKA youth championships selections that were held in Francistown where they sent a total of 18 athletes who were able to then scoop 26 medals out of which 11 were gold, seven silver and eight bronze.
“In March 2022 we attended the BOKA national selection tournament at Gaborone with 18 students, we then managed to win 19 medals being three gold, seven silver, nine bronze and a trophy,” he told Times Sport. Out of the selections five students from the centre were selected to join the BOKA national team.
Andrew further noted that in June 2022 they attended the Japan Karate Association Botswana Open Karate Tournament Championship in Gaborone bringing to the competition 22 students who then obtained 19 medals out of which seven where gold, five silver and seven bronze medals.
Furthermore, in May 2022 a total of three students from the centre who were part of the BOKA national team participated at the AUSC Region 5 Karate Tournament Championships that were held in Durban, South Africa and managed to win two medals, one gold medal and one silver medal.
“Our main intention is to see growth in our students who are mentally upright; this on its own will curb the growth of criminal activities in our town. I wish to train these students so that they also participate in different international level tournaments and also for them to upgrade their ranks from white belts to becoming black belts,’ he said.
Meanwhile, the centre will send 16 athletes to participate at the BOKA youth championships selections that will take place on the 25th March 2023 in Francistown.
