Africa-Press – Namibia. FORMER Namibian Defence Force (NDF) Volleyball Club star Donald Doëseb was undoubtedly one of the most-sought after young players of his generation.
Born at Arandis, Doëseb started what would be a glittering volleyball career with the Immanuel Shifidi Secondary School’s B team in 1998. The retired setter, who is the playmaker in volleyball terms, was introduced to the Khomas Volleyball League with Katutura-based Spartans Volleyball Club.
“After I got promoted to the school’s first team I was recruited by Spartans, which also used to practise in our school hall at Shifidi. Subsequently Spartans were absorbed by the NDF, and that is how I ended up playing for the army team and was also recruited to the NDF.
“I also had a brief spell with Revivals Volleyball Club. After my time at NDF, my services were required by SKW, who also offered me a job at the time to play for the club. I had two seasons with SKW, before rounding my competitive career off at Unam,” he says. Doëseb says his time at Unam was basically focused on developing and supporting the young and inexperienced university team at the time.
He enjoyed a successful career with the NDF team, which saw them winning five consecutive national league titles. He says he had quite a lot of standout matches during his career, but considers the encounter against the Red Devils from Lesotho with the NDF team during the Zone 6 Club Championships as the most memorable of his career.
As a guest player he also represented Namibia by playing for Elegance Volleyball Club in Swaziland. He won the highest honour of Best Setter of the Tournament, which was also a first for local setters and Namibian volleyball at large at the Zone 6 Club Championships.
Says Doëseb: “I want to be remembered as someone who inspired others to watch. Someone who played and was part of the game at all levels. I was first called up for the senior national team in 2003, to play for my country against Zimbabwe in Harare.
“Secondly, I want to be remembered for breaking the stereotypes of the game, that volleyball is only meant for tall people. I am living testimony that short, or people with an average height, can also excel at volleyball.”
The former NDF star says he was a very dedicated player, “dedicated to winning and fighting until the end. Doëseb attributes his prominence in the game to a few people who shaped him both at club and at national team level.
“I was coached by the late Niklaas Khrone, who ensured that I mastered the basics of volleyball. The exposure I received both at club and as internationally made me the prominent player I became.
“I was groomed by the Namibian volleyball legend Joël Matheus, the current chairperson of the Namibian Sports Commission. He shaped me as a player, and brought the best out in me. I was also lucky to be surrounded by really talented players. There was no time to rest on your laurels,” he says.
Doëseb has represented Namibia, both as player and captain, mostly against southern African countries. He describes the match against Swaziland in Botswana at the Zone 6 Championship as his best match ever for the national team.
They pipped Swaziland to win a bronze medal for the Land of the Brave. That honour was the first for the men’s national team. WORK, FAMILY Doëseb is a self-employed father of two.
“I own a company called Xeva Group, which is a Namibian-based firm that specialises in delivering digital solutions. We are a solution provider, and our mission is to design, develop, and deliver comprehensive and innovative solutions for our clients.
“We offer solutions to non-governmental organisations, small businesses, corporate entities and government agencies, across various sectors and industries. I am passionate about solving challenges, especially in the business space,” he says.
The marketing degree holder from the Namibia University of Science and Technology says he has always been drawn to consumer behaviour and product development. His interest in the above-mentioned two disciplines has exposed him to the world of innovation, he says.
“It took quite a while to really figure out what I am good at in business. Innovation is the new lifeline, and it is here to transform the way we do things, whether it’s personal or in a business set-up. I am mostly interested in market systems development, and that is what my company specialises in.”
Doeseb says the biggest challenge for his business or for any innovator in Namibia is the conservative nature of the country’s people. “My company develops concepts from scratch, and this is most of the time seen as risky to invest in. We have presented so many concepts to both government and private agencies, but no one has really considered our proposals or concepts due to their nature,” he says.
Doëseb, who was appointed as the new chief executive officer of the Namibian Volleyball Federation in January this year, says Joël Matheus was the biggest influence on his volleyball career, and Deon Cloete, who was an all-rounder, was his toughest opponent.
His advice to young players is the following: “No one is bigger than the game. Make the best of your opportunities, learn, be disciplined, flourish and pass it on.”
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