Erasmus Shalihaxwe
Uerikondjera ‘’Mammie’’ Kasaona, has made history by becoming the first woman in Namibian football to coach a men’s football team Blue Waters in the premier league.
Kasaona was in the dugout this past weekend when she guided Blue Waters into the quarterfinals of the MTC Maris Cup competition after beating Okahandja United 4-3 on penalties after a 0-0 draw during regular time on Saturday.
She was recently appointed Blue Waters Assistant coach deputising head coach Paulus Shipanga.
Kasaona is also currently the head coach of the national women’s senior team Brave Gladiators, a team she also captained during her playing days.
On Saturday, the 37-year-old expressed happiness about what she has achieved so far in her football career while also expressing gratitude to other women like Jack Shipanga, Monica Shapwa and Jack Gertze for uplifting women’s football in Namibia.
‘’First of all, I should say thank you to Blue Waters management and its supporters for trusting me with this job to coach the team. I am actually proud of myself, and I have been getting good support from people like Jack Shipanga, Jack Gertze and Monica Shapwa wishing me well. These are the people I look up to for what they have done for women’s football,’’ Kasaona expressed.
She added that even though she is based in Windhoek and Blue Waters is based in Walvis Bay, the distance will not hamper her from coaching the team in the world of advanced technology.
‘’Football is now more advanced in terms of technology, even though I am far away from where they are, I can still give them tactical aspects on our opponents and how we should approach the game,’’ she assured.
Last year, Kasaona was also appointed to lead the Kunene regional football team as head coach at the Newspaper Cup tournament set to be hosted at Outjo during the Easter long weekend in April. The youth tournament will be launched today at Nedbank Namibia headquarters in Windhoek.
She is also the owner of Kasaona Football Academy, which boosts U/9 to U/19 age groups that play in the MTC HopSol Junior Leagues.
