By Samuel Bamisebi

The Botswana Tertiary Student Sports Association (BOTESSA) in collaboration with the Botswana Table Tennis tournament is set to get rolling as all preparations are in place even as the Botswana government lifted the ban of sport gatherings in the country to the joy of the sporting fraternity.

The FNBB sponsored tournament is meant to be the first in the relationship between Botswana Tertiary Student Sport Association (BOTESSA) and the Botswana Table Tennis Federation (BTTA).

Last year, BOTESSA signed a memorandum of understanding with Botswana Table Tennis Association and the tournament which is set to be the first activity to commence the relationship between both sides is sponsored by FNBB from BOTESSA and a number of other sponsors.

The tournament is open to BOTESSA and BTTA association which is the general public even with the limited reported training of athletes and is set to hold on the 18th is September, 2021. Prices to be won includes BWP2000 for the winners, the runners-up will walk away with BWP1000 while the Semi-finalists and finalists will go home with BWP700 and BWP400 respecteively. The organizers are also keen to ensure Covid-19 protocols are well followed.

The Botessa executive on the 10th of September 2021 presented a token of appreciation to University of Botswana in relation to hosting the 2018 CUCSA GAMES. Botessa president highlighted the world class facilities that Ub has and the two parties agreed to further sports with their relationship.

Botswana Tertiary Student Sports Association (BOTESSA) is the umbrella body for all sports codes of the tertiary institutions of Botswana. This is an organization that was formed to provide organized sporting links amongst Post Secondary (Tertiary) Institutions in Botswana. Thus all tertiary institutions in Botswana are eligible to be members. BOTESSA’s main objective is to propagate physical training and sport as an indispensable component of human personality development as well as development of friendship by and in sport competitions. In order to get all its affiliates involved in achieving this objective, BOTESSA is divided into three (3) brackets with cognate institutions.

Each bracket has its own calendar of events based on the academic calendar of the institutions under it. BOTESSA then organizes National Outdoor (Ball, Racquet and Hitting Games), Indoor (Table Tennis, Chess, Darts etc.) and Athletics Championships on a yearly basis.

BOTESSA’s mandate also includes organizing clinics, workshops and allied courses that provide training and development of its affiliate’s members.

Regional and International Activities

BOTESSA is affiliated directly to the Confederation of Colleges and Universities in Southern Africa (CUCSA) and indirectly (through one of its affiliates) to the African University Sports Federation (FASU) and the International University Sports Federation (FISU).

BOTESSA participates in the activities of these bodies, the most recent being the 2004 CUCSA games which were held in Namibia with Botswana finishing on tops and the 2005 World Universities Games held in Turkey.