KC Sports tournament fills gap in women's football

The two-day tournament will be held at SSG Grounds in Gaborone on August 8 and 9, bringing together clubs from across the country in what organisers hope will become a regular feature on the women's football calendar. The top four teams will qualify for the KC Sports International Tournament, scheduled for August 15 and 16. The competition comes at a time when women's football in Botswana continues to grapple with limited competitive opportunities outside the league season, making preseason match practice difficult for clubs and players. Organising committee member, Oaitse Moeti, explained the tournament was established to help address that challenge."We realised there is little to no preseason competition for women's football teams in Botswana. Most clubs have to wait for the league to start without playing enough competitive matches, which affects players' development and teams' preparedness," he said. "This tournament is meant to give teams a platform to prepare for the new season whilst giving players more game time. The current league structures offer limited matches, and that alone cannot contribute enough to the growth and development of players. We hope this initiative helps close that gap." The host side, Mexican Girls, headline Group A, where they will face KC Sports, Roman Warriors from Kanye, and Cleft Rock Sporting Club from Mochudi.Group B comprises Police XI Ladies, Wonder Girls, Bonto FC Ladies from Lobatse and Gopong Lions from Digawana. Apart from the team honours, organisers have lined up several individual accolades to reward outstanding performances. Awards will be presented to the Player of the Tournament, Young Player of the Tournament, Top Goal Scorer, Goalkeeper of the Tournament and Coach of the Tournament. The winning team will receive a trophy and 25 gold medals, while the runners-up will be awarded 25 silver medals. The third-placed side will take home 25 bronze medals. Moeti said the tournament is also intended to provide direct financial support to participating clubs."Every team has costs during preseason, so we decided that all gate takings will be shared equally amongst the eight participating teams. We want every club to benefit from taking part whilst also contributing to the continued growth of women's football," he added. Matches will run from 8am to 6pm on both days at SSG Grounds. Spectators will pay P10 for entry, while vehicles will be charged P5. As clubs make their final preparations for the new campaign, the KC Sports Pretty in Pink Tournament is expected to offer players and coaches a valuable opportunity to assess their readiness in a competitive environment whilst helping promote the continued growth of women's football in Botswana.