Afrocat volleyball attracts international support

Afrocat Sports Club has received its third donation from Alexandria Titans Volleyball Club in Virginia, United States, strengthening an international partnership that has supported the Namibian club’s grassroots volleyball development since 2021.

The latest contribution, valued at approximately N$30 000, consists mainly of volleyball kits and jerseys for Afrocat’s men’s and women’s teams competing in the national league.

Beyond the value of the donation, the partnership highlights how local sporting organisations can attract international support by demonstrating a clear commitment to player development.

Afrocat SC coach Aloisius Isthile in an interview with desert FM, said the relationship with Alexandria Titans began in 2021 after the two clubs discovered similarities in their approach to developing young players, particularly women and girls.

“Alexandria Titans share the same passion that we have with Afrocat. We have a development programme that is almost structured the same,” Isthile says.

He said the relationship has been maintained through transparency and the work Afrocat continues to do at grassroots level.

“This is our third donation that they give us,” Isthile says, adding that the first contribution included sporting equipment such as volleyballs.

For Afrocat, the latest donation goes beyond providing players with new uniforms. Isthile says the equipment has given players confidence while easing some of the financial challenges faced by the club.

“Yesterday, when we had the handover, I caught one player saying, ‘this is not just a kit but this gives us the confidence to enter the court’,” he says.

Isthile explained that the club sometimes has fewer jerseys than players, making it difficult to properly equip entire squads.

“It gives players the opportunity to compete. Equal opportunities among the team,” he says.

He adds that many of Afrocat’s players come from backgrounds where paying membership fees or contributing towards new kits can be difficult.

The shortage of equipment can also affect participation in competitions, with Isthile saying the club could struggled to participate in a six-club championship scheduled for December because of inadequate kits.

The latest donation will allow the club to redirect funds towards other needs, including transport and feeding players.

While the international support has provided immediate relief, Isthile believes volleyball requires a broader approach to sponsorship and investment in Namibia.

Support, he says, should include equipment, facilities, coaching development and exchange programmes rather than focusing solely on financial sponsorship.

“It must be equipment, it must be maybe an exchange programme that you have, coaching, you are learning from each other,” Isthile says.

He also believes clubs need to change how they approach potential investors by identifying specific areas where partners can contribute, including facilities and transport.

Looking ahead, Afrocat wants to establish itself as one of Namibia’s leading structured development clubs.

“Seeing AfroCat in the five years, I think it would be one of the biggest development clubs that we have, one of the structured programmes in Namibia,” Isthile says.

The club’s grassroots programme introduces children to volleyball from as young as six, while also working to bridge the gap between school and club volleyball.

Isthile said the club’s vision is clear: “AfroCat must be the leading development club in Namibia.”

He also hopes the partnership with Alexandria Titans will eventually extend beyond equipment donations.

“With our partnership, I think it cannot be just in the kit,” he says. “We already have other brands of things like exchange programmes, players exchange programmes, coaches exchange programmes.”

He says the exchanges could include physical or online coaching opportunities.