Staff Reporter
Ongha-A year after its groundbreaking ceremony, the joint project “School Sport in Ohangwena and Khomas Region” officially inaugurated the sports field last week at Ongha Senior Secondary School in the Ohangwena Region.
Focusing on the development and rehabilitation of sports fields and the promotion of life skills through sports, the prestigious event marked the completion and hand over of 45 sports grounds for 15 cluster schools and one vocational institute, with over 85,000 sportspersons expected to have access to the facilities, including learners and youth.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Agnes Tjongarero, applauded the partners for the development of the facilities.
“Thousands of young people can now use the modern facilities to polish their talents and see how far they can go with it in the industry of endless possibilities. Sport gives us incredibly important lessons about life.
“It teaches us about the joy of triumph, and about learning to be resilient when we lose, and to lose with grace,” Tjongarero said.
“The project here in the north is an important pillar, as it will help grow the game and motivate even those who think they might not be able to participate,” said Juerg Nepfer, head of Education and Technical Department at FIFA.
The Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany Christian, Matthias Schlaga, said sport plays an important role in our lives, mostly because it is an element through which different matters beyond football can be taught.
“Sport has potential, but potential on its own means nothing if those who can make use of it are absent,” he said.
Schlaga’s comments were echoed by NFA President Frans Mbidi: “As a football association, we are pleased to be involved in this monumental project that will surely change the lives of many young people in our country.
“Sports development is our collective goal to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport. Within this framework, sport should be practised without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, that is, with mutual understanding, in friendship, in solidarity and fair play.”
Brave Warriors coach Ricardo Mannetti encouraged the learners to efficiently utilise the pitches, giving an example of national team players such as Willem Mwedihanga, Benson Shilongo, Absalom Iimbond and Benjamin Nenkavu to mention a few,
This shows that there is no excuse why any of them cannot make it to national or even international level, provided they put what Mannetti called “the right attitude” to work.