Tsitsi Matope
MASERU — Alliance Insurance Company Limited donated sporting gear kits worth M60 000 to the Premier League giants Lesotho Correctional Service Football Club (Masheshena) last Thursday. Alliance Insurance, are the official sponsors of Masheshena Football Club. The support is part of the company’s sports development programme, which is meant to improve the standards of professional football in Lesotho.
Masheshena, together with the current Premier League Champions Lioli and Matlama, are all supported in various ways by the Alliance Insurance. The sporting kits handed over to representatives of Masheshena comprised of 33 track suites, 15 winter jackets, 56 jerseys, 27 pair of shorts, 44 golf shirts, 30 training bibs and the goalkeeper’s attire.
In an interview, the Alliance Insurance Marketing and Sales Manager, Limakatso Mokobocho said, ensuring players are smartly dressed can help boost their confidence. “We know that there are good chances that a presentable team can perform better – that way, we can also contribute towards improving the standards of football,” she said.
Masheshena is currently on number eight out of 14 teams on the premier league log. However, Mokobocho said apart from ensuring that the teams they support are presentable when they play, Alliance Insurance aims to continue providing support in areas of administration and at the same time, push for professional football.
“Our support depends on the type of partnership we have with the three teams. “However, our biggest objective is to professionalise the teams so that players can devote themselves to football. So far, we are financially supporting some players to ensure they focus only on improving their skills.” This, she said, has seen some teams gradually develop into semi-professionalism.
On his part, Assistant Commissioner Kabo Moeno, who is the chairperson of Masheshena said the immense support they have received from the insurance company since 2009, has helped alleviate financial challenges associated with football club administration. He said despite having other financial sources such as their Central Prison soccer pitch, which they rent out and takings from their public snooker pool, those alone would not help sustain the club.
“Running a football club is very expensive and without the great support from our partner Alliance Insurance, it would have been difficult for us,” he said, citing the team’s trip to Leribe where they were supposed to play Nyenye Rovers two weeks ago before the match was postponed due to bad weather. “We spent M2 700 in that trip and because we could not play, we have to fork-out the same amount for another trip,” Moeno said.
He further explained that the support from Alliance, which comes in the form of sporting attire and also financial, motivates the players to play hard. “We currently have four new coaches who are still trying to acclimatise with the players. They are new brooms and we expect the performance of the team to continue improving. “With a well dressed team, more support from Alliance Insurance and new coaches — all key elements are in place and we are optimistic to lift the Premier League Cup next year.”
Comments are closed.