COSAFA hosts historic workshop for female commentators

COSAFA completed a historic two-day workshop exclusively for female commentators, which is believed to be the first of its kind on the African continent and one of the first worldwide.

Participants from Malawi, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe were part of the event, which seeks to assist them on their path to a career in the broadcasting profession.

Day one was led by the legendary Mark Gleeson, who has more than 35 years’ experience in broadcasting and is a globally renowned expert on African football.

The eight budding commentators were taken through a theory session that explained the technical aspects of commentary and some practical dos and don’ts, before they put their new-found knowledge into practice with recordings.

A commentary booth was erected at the workshop venue, where real footage was used to take the participants through their paces.

“It is fantastic to see these female commentators from several of our countries in the region, all who aspire to build a career in this exciting field,” said COSAFA Executive Director Sue Destombes, who opened the workshop on Wednesday.

“We have seen the small steps taken by female commentators and analysts in broadcasting on the continent, but it is not enough and we need more. We are hopeful that the participants at the workshop will be inspired to take the next step in their careers.”

The workshop continued for a second day on Thursday when there was a presentation from SuperSport director Nono Cele, who shared her experiences and provided insights for the participants.

The group also had a tour of the world-class SuperSport studios in Randburg, Johannesburg.

Thereafter the participants were given the chance to create a demo recording, taking all they learnt in the workshop and putting it into practice to share with broadcasters as a showreel.

“We have been very impressed with the calibre of participant in the workshop and I have no doubt that many will have a long career in broadcasting,” Destombes said.

“As COSAFA we continue to deliver on our mandate to provide development opportunities to not only players, coaches, referees and administrators, but also those in media and broadcasting, another crucial area of the sport that is vital to its future.”