A competitive culture

Ester KamatiFNB Classic Clashes was established in 2008 by First National Bank (FNB) of Namibia as an initiative to give scholars a platform to socialise and have fun, as well as showcase their skills in various sport codes, including soccer and netball. The fun element was evident as Hozala Marketing kept the energy high and excited the crowd with dance performances, as well as T-shirt and cash giveaways, courtesy of FNB, at the launch.Ronelle Bezuidenhout, the head of department for science and sports at HTS, said sport teaches us to except defeat and also celebrate victory. She quoted Jesse Owens by saying: “Friendships born on the field of athletic strife are the real gold of competition.”Joel Mathews, the chairperson of the Namibia Sports Commission (NSC, who read a speech on behalf of sports minister Erastus Uutoni, thanked FNB for their continuity and consistency in terms of the project. “It is indeed encouraging to see that our banking sector continues to contribute vastly towards sport development and this is commendable,” he said. He added that the FNB Classic Clashes will continue to enjoy the support of the sports ministry. “It is through sports like this that we will be able to spot the next generation of Frankie Fredericks’ and Hilaria Johannes’.Grootfontein Agri College coach Jean-Pierre Botha said before the rugby game that he was confident in his team, even though he knows that HTS is a force to be reckoned with. Grootfontein Agri College are taking part in the Classic Clashes for the first time this year and showed pure skill and drive, which saw them record a 25-15 victory.“You should be grateful for the opportunity you got to compete with other schools in a way that you get to learn from your mistakes,” said reigning Miss HTS, Mirjam Matheus.She added that losing does not make one less valuable.Gordon Pokolo, the manager for sponsorships and promotions at FNB, highlighted that the FNB Classic Clashes grew from seven participating teams in the first year to 42 schools from across the country this year, through keeping the element of sports rivalry alive between the schools. The enjoyment of the kids and giving them the platform for them to showcase their talents are what Pokolo mentioned as his biggest pride when it comes to the tournament. He also advocated for good sportsmanship between the teams and simply for them to enjoy themselves throughout the tourney.

A competitive culture

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-25

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A competitive culture

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-25

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