Sports leaders hail CST as grassroots springboard
Government and sports leaders have hailed the Creative Sport Tourism (CST) Expo as a platform to strengthen grassroots development and create broader pathways for athletes and other professionals within the country’s sporting industry.
The initiative brought several sports codes into the three-day exposition at Hage Geingob Stadium in Windhoek last week.
Youth and senior participants took part in competitions ranging from volleyball and chess to basketball, rugby, bodybuilding and esports.
In her keynote address at the official opening, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah emphasised that young athletes need more than talent to progress.
“Talent alone is not a development strategy. It must be identified, trained, supported and connected to opportunity,” she said in remarks delivered on her behalf by finance minister Ericah Shafudah.
She identified quality coaching, safe facilities, regular competition, professional administration, investment and access to markets as some of the structures needed to create viable sporting pathways for young athletes.
That thinking is also reflected in the country’s Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), which targets increasing sport’s contribution to employment from 1% in 2024 to 3.5% by 2030.
Sport beyond the playing field
Nandi-Ndaitwah also challenged the sporting sector to look beyond what happens during competition itself, arguing that the opportunities created by sport “do not begin and end with the athlete”.
She highlighted broadcasting, photography, journalism, digital content, event production, medical services and other professions that form part of the value chain around sporting events.
The President consequently called for reliable event calendars and more aggressive marketing of Namibia as a destination for sport and adventure.
Nandi-Ndaitwah further stressed the need for proper remuneration for people working throughout that sporting value chain.
“Exposure is not a substitute for payment. Passion does not remove the responsibility to pay people for their labour and skill,” she said, adding that athletes, coaches and other professionals should be able to pursue excellence while making a living from their skills.
‘Match talent with skills’
Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture minister Sanet Steenkamp also emphasised the need for more opportunities beyond participating in sport.
She said young people should be able to see themselves building careers as athletes, entrepreneurs and event organisers, among other professions connected to the wider sector.
“Our task is to ensure that talent is matched with skills, opportunity and platforms. This Expo is one such platform,” Steenkamp said.
She added that the initiative demonstrated how a sporting event can create opportunities and markets for the country’s talent.
The ministry also committed itself to working with the CST Expo and other government ministries to connect sport with youth development, innovation, culture and tourism in ways that create opportunities for Namibians.
Mwatelulo sees grassroots value
Among those in attendance was Namibia Volleyball Federation president Tobias Mwatelulo, who took in the CST Volleyball Tournament, where U13 boys’ and girls’ teams from schools and clubs in Windhoek competed for honours.
“I was impressed just by the setup and the age of the children playing here. Usually, I go to tournaments where you see U17s and seniors, but this is unique,” he said.
Some of the players were as young as nine and 10, something Mwatelulo believes makes the competition valuable when viewed as part of a longer development cycle.
“When you talk about bringing medals to Namibia, we always say it is a 10-year plan. This is actually the way to start. [This is] what we need.”
