Kauraisa remembered fondly as game changer 

The Namibian Sport has been inundated with messages from friends, colleagues and football administrators wanting to pay tribute to ex-Namibian Football Association (NFA) president Charles Kauraisa.

Kauraisa, who contributed to drafting the first constitution of premier league giants African Stars, also coached Blue Waters and was the chairman of the coastal outfit.

Blue Waters yesterday led Namibia’s football lovers in extending condolences to the family and friends of the late chairman.

“Mr Kauraisa leaves a remarkable legacy of commitment to sport, education and providing a platform for players to showcase their talent. He also played a meaningful role in the growth of the Namibian football landscape during his stint as president of the NFA.

“He held the triple honour of having served Omeya full circle, first as a player in the 1960s, head coach in the 1980s, and later as the club’s chairman at the dawn of Namibia’s independence. Mr Kauraisa played a pivotal role in the growth of Blue Waters Sport Club. On and off the pitch his leadership contributed to laying the groundwork for the club’s future achievements,” reads a club statement signed by secretary Tostao Imbili.

New Era Publication Corporation chief executive Christof Maletsky yesterday said he has known ‘Uncle Charles’ for over 40 years through his community involvement and at sport level.

“A great visionary who could comfortably join any discussion and excel with his reasoning to arrive at possible solutions. He had the challenging task of setting the football trajectory shortly after independence as NFA president.

“We could only admire his leadership. His work at Rössing was very visible and positively affected many coastal communities,” he said.

Former Brave Warriors captain and star midfielder Ricardo ‘Bucksy’ Mannetti described Kauraisa as “a special leader whom I came to know in my early years as a footballer during my under-17 and under-20 years when he was in the leadership of the football association.

“One thing that stood out for me was the fact that he did not see himself as at another level and that he could not come down to our level as footballers. He would come to us when we were not happy and discuss and negotiate with us and make sure everybody was on the same page.”

Women’s football pioneer Julien Garises yesterday described Kauraisa as a willing and patient mentor who loved football, adding that he was also a great football administrator. – Expect a full tribute in The Namibian next week.

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