BPL steps in the right direction

Botswana Premier League this week stepped in the right direction when they announced that this year’s beMOBILE Premier League Awards will feature new categories to recognise young players and goalkeepers.

In fact there have been widespread calls for BPL to include the said categories so as to encourage growth and confidence in upcoming youngsters who have lacked recognition despite their instrumental contributions in their respective teams. Even coaches in the past have overlooked youngsters for experienced and older players. The Young Player of the Season Award will now encourage local coaches to give these motivated young players an opportunity to shine.

It will also boost the coach’s confidence that he has contributed to the growth of a future star player. Lack of youth recognition has even affected the national team progress in international competitions as they had to rely more on the old guards as there was minimal young talent to use. Even when the national Under 17 team players had promising talent, they would end up in the wilderness as big clubs would be reluctant to use them even when they may have registered them. This award will motivate young players to be brave enough to even try their luck as far as Europe after excelling in the domestic league.

It will give them the confidence that they can make it anywhere in the world. In other world leagues these awards have been taken very seriously and the member associations have even made rules that teams should feature a certain number of young players in their squads. In South Africa it is compulsory for First Division teams to have a specified number of Under 23 players in their first eleven whenever they play any competitive league. Although this category will encourage local coaches to start using young players as there is motivation for them to excel, it is not enough to promote youth development.

The Premier League must make it standard practice for every team to have development teams. Another new category of Goalkeeper of the Season has also been added to the awards. Just like Young Player of the Season, goalkeepers have had to compete with other players for other accolades. Hitherto, goalkeepers were only recognized by other competitions such as Coca-Cola Cup and Mascom Top 8. Some of the goalkeepers like Kabelo Dambe that won the said award went to play outside, while others earned national team call ups.

Dambe is currently with Platinum Stars. The premier league this week announced Kabelo Seakanyeng, Goitseone Phoko and Onkabetse Makgantai as nominees for Young Player of the Season while nominees for Goalkeeper of the Season are Goitseone Phoko, Mosimanegape Robert and Basimanebotlhe Moilwa.