Time to look beyond traditional codes

I cannot deny that I am a football fanatic, as is the majority of the country’s population.
As a whole, I would add boxing, rugby and athletics as some of the most favourite sports codes of Namibians.

The result is that this is where most people’s focus in terms of both financial investment and interest lie.
But I think it is high time the stakeholders look beyond these traditional pastimes and focus on a broader range of codes.

As much as I’m a football fanatic, I’m even more passionate about excellence.

I believe that there are a lot of talented golfers, tennis players, swimmers as well as cricketers, who are just waiting to be discovered in various parts of the country.

The problem is most of them are hardly exposed to these type of codes due to a lack of infrastructure in their areas.

I believe that if the powers that be would invest in taking these less traditional sports to the people, Namibia will be able to compete against the very best in the world.

At the moment, only the more fortunate have access to proper tennis courts, Olympic-size swimming pools and first class golf courses, which are essential for any athlete that aims to excel in these codes.
Everybody knows that the more competitors there are in an event, the harder a player needs to work to win in that event, which pushes the eventual champion to raise their game.

A lot of people have talked about introducing a school of excellence that will focus on developing the talents of those showing the most promise.

Although that is a noble idea, I believe the only way to reach everyone is to make sports a way of life at every school, instead of only a select few.

Meanwhile, Namibian Sun has become a trendsetter by introducing a column which seeks to provide insight into how the minds of those involved in sports works.

I have to thank NNOC board member Ndeulipula Hamutumwa, our inaugural columnist, for rising to the occasion on short notice as well as this week’s columnist, former Brave Warriors player Sylvester ‘Lolo’ Goraseb, who sacrificed his time to pen his article.