For thousands of Namibian schoolchildren, the Debmarine Bridging the Gap was more than just a tournament.
It was a hope and a dream in motion.
For the second year in a row, the once-vibrant youth competition has fallen silent.
It left a growing void in the country’s grassroots sports landscape and raised questions about the future of young talent development.
The competition is a national school sport initiative, aimed at developing young athletes and promoting sports participation among Namibian youth at the school level.
The programme is a joint effort between Debmarine Namibia and the Namibia Schools Sports Union.
It targeted the U/15 and U/17 age groups in football, netball and later athletics, which was added during the 2022 edition at Swakopmund.
The competition sought to identify and nurture emerging talent, encourage healthy lifestyles and foster social cohesion across Namibia’s 14 regions.
Regional trials served as the foundation, with top-performing schools in each region advancing to national championships hosted in selected towns.
Launched in 2019, the maiden edition in Ongwediva drew participation from 6 560 learners representing 463 schools.
The tournament was briefly paused in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, it made a strong return in 2022 in Swakopmund and again in 2023 in Windhoek.
Over the years, this competition has helped over 30 000 students.
Some have even gone on to play for Namibia’s national teams. Just last year, in 2024, Debmarine gave N$1 million worth of sports gear to the 2023 winners.
This shows how much the company invests in helping young people grow through sport.
However, Debmar ine Namibia’s communications manager Stella Ipinge confirmed yesterday that, for the second consecutive year, the tournament will not take place.
“No, the competition will not take place this year due to many reasons, some of which include a lack of finances to allocate to that specific event,” she said.
To date, the diamond mining company has invested over N$10 million in youth sports through the tournament.
Coaches, many of them schoolteachers, benefitted from training programmes and school-based development initiatives that were part of the broader mission to empower youth.
Despite understanding the financial climate, one of the teachers who gained his coaching skills through the Debmarine Bridging The Gap initiative yesterday voiced concern over the cancellation’s impact on the growth of sports at the grassroots level.
“It’s a hard thing not having such a tournament,” said Shipapo Valentinus, a teacher from Kavango East, whose school previously participated.
“It has left a huge void. Talent hasn’t been identified, developed or nurtured at the grassroots level, which negatively impacts young athletes as they grow. Some of the best talents from last year and this year will miss out on the exposure these competitions brought. But if the sponsors say funds are low, we have to respect that,” he stated.
Former participants also lamented the loss of the tournament.
Ndango Warren, who competed in the 2022 edition held at Vineta Stadium in Swakopmund, said the event offered rare and meaningful opportunities.
“My former schoolmates are missing out a lot. When we played, it felt like the World Cup or Champions League, given that for some of us it was our first time to travel outside our hometown and play on a better field.
“It was a feeling I wish I could experience again. Imagine playing with schools from Swakopmund, Windhoek and other towns. It allowed us to connect with others and grow,” he said.
“I even got to see people like former Civics and Brave Warriors goalkeeper Danzyl Bruwer, Christine Mboma and other famous athletes for the first time. That kind of inspiration stays with you,” he stated.
Director of sport in the sport ministry Jo-Ann Manuel said she had not been formally informed about the cancellation.
“They have not communicated with us on whether the competition will take place or not,” he noted.
Seasoned sports analyst Carlos Kambaekwa warned that the ongoing absence of the tournament could have long-term effects on national sporting success.
“I’m not surprised. In Namibia, we don’t take youth development seriously,” he said.
“The people entrusted to run youth programmes often don’t have the experience or understanding. That’s why we keep failing. Youth development is the foundation. If we don’t fix it at the grassroots level, the national teams will continue to struggle,” he said.
Oshana region won the inaugural edition of the tourney.
In the last edition, which was held in the capital, Kunene region emerged victorious in football.
Khomas region won in athletics and netball.
– mkambukwe@nepc.com.na