THE town of Gobabis is abuzz with anticipation of the return of The Namibian Newspaper Cup, the organisers say.
The popular youth development tournament, which is set to kick of for the second time in eight years at the Legare Sports Complex during Easter, has residents of the town already ‘pulling out all the stops’ to ensure the annual event is a success. Following a second inspection of the host town by the organising committee on Monday, The Namibian’s marketing manager Anita Witt said she was taken aback by the enthusiasm that has engulfed the ‘Cattle Country’ capital. Witt said she was particularly impressed by the community’s willingness to get involved with the various aspects of the preparations. ‘The Gobabis community is excited about the event,’ she said. ‘Their commitment is fantastic!’Gobabis Municipality public relations officer Festus Marenga echoed Witt’s sentiments. ‘The ordinary man on the street of Gobabis is eager to come and see it,’ he said.Marenga said he anticipated a blockbuster 11th edition of the Newspaper Cup in comparison to when the Omaheke Region first hosted the event in 2003. ‘It will be bigger than the first one we hosted,’ he said. ‘The tournament has grown over the years and so has the interest in the football. I think people will flock to the stadium.’Monday’s visit by the organisers was to inspect the progress made by the local organising committee with regard to refurbishments to the stadium, accommodation facilities and other facets of the impending tournament.’The inspections went well,’ Marenga said. ‘We did what we were asked to do and the committee is pleased with the progress we’ve made.’
