It has been over a year in the making but the wait is finally over for
aspiring cricketers as the KFC Mini-Cricket programme resumed its on-field
action this month and recently held KFC Mini-Cricket Regional Festivals in
Limpopo earlier this week
Over the two days of socially distanced fun, excitement and promising
displays at the crease, Cricket South Africa (CSA) in partnership with KFC
visited Phalaborwa on Tuesday, 18 May, where they hosted Rethusitswe Primary
and Phondo Primary, along with 68 kids and 22 volunteer coaches.
The next day, the festivities moved to Bochum in Polokwane, where a
similar number of boys and girls, and their coaches from Rapoho Primary, Mangwoto
Primary and Maswene Primary, got to interact with CSA mascot, ZAC as well as
Proteas Team Manager, Kgomotso ‘Volvo’ Masubulele – who is originally from
Limpopo.
These KFC Mini-Cricket Regional Festivals form part of a 2020/21 KFC
Mini-Cricket season relaunch undertaken by CSA to help provide an enjoyable but
more importantly, safe environment for the kids to get active after a prolonged
absence due to the restrictions caused by the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.
Ahead of the resumption, to ensure the players, coaches and teachers’
safety, KFC Mini-Cricket identified non-hotspot regions across the country
where non-contact school sport can take place.
They have also procured Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and
sanitisers for all participating schools, provided extra playing equipment to
limit sharing between players, as well as arrange additional personnel to help
facilitate the COVID-19 protocols for each school.
CSA’s Mass Participation Coordinator, Buhle Motshegoa is pleased with
how the Limpopo-leg of the KFC Mini-Cricket Regional Festivals went,
highlighting the immense passion for the game that exists, as well as the
bright talent on show in the province. A province that produced the likes of
former Proteas Women’s star, Mercia Letsoalo, Titans coach, Mandla Mashimbyi
and legendary South African fast bowler, Dale Steyn.
“We are extremely happy that the 2020/21 KFC Mini-Cricket season was
able to get underway in the form of the Regional Festivals and that we once
again get to see our mini cricketers and coaches play with smiles on their
faces,” Motshegoa commented.
“As soon as we arrived in Phalaborwa, you could sense the positive
energy, and passion for the sport in all those involved in making the two-day
cricketing spectacle a resounding success, while we adhered to the strict
COVID-19 health regulations.
“Although getting kids active in a fun and enjoyable way is the main
goal, we also got to witness some sensational talent on the field, between both
the boys and girls. This bodes well, not only for the growth of the KFC
Mini-Cricket programme but also for the South African cricket pipeline,” she
added.
About KFC Mini-Cricket:
KFC Mini-Cricket provides a platform for kids in South Africa to have
fun and get active. KFC Mini-Cricket is the largest grassroots development
sports programme in South Africa and is also an essential building block for
learning cricketing basics and entrenching a love for the game.
As of the 2019/2020 season, there are 126 642 kids from 6617 schools
active in the KFC Mini-Cricket programme who are coached by 13 673 volunteer
coaches. KFC has sponsored KFC Mini-Cricket since 2010 and in the 2012/13
cricket season KFC became the title sponsor of the KFC T20 Internationals.
For more information, please visit https://order.kfc.co.za/minicricket/minicrickethome.
Image
List (With Captions):
- Paballo Mogofe (Ruthusitwe Primary School) showing great
bowling technique as the action heats up during the 2021 KFC Mini Cricket
Regional Festival at Ruthusitwe Primary School in Phalaborwa on the 18 May
2021 ©Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
- Dumisani Manyama (Thusetso Primary School) getting ready to
execute a beautiful pull shot during the 2021 KFC Mini Cricket Regional
Festival at Ruthusitwe Primary School in Phalaborwa on the 18 May 2021
©Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
- CSA Mascot ZAC posing with KFC Mini-Cricket team from
Rethusitswe Primary after getting active during the 2021 KFC Mini Cricket
Regional Festival at Ruthusitwe Primary School in Phalaborwa on the 18 May
2021 ©Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
- Volvo Masubelele (CSA Protea Team Manager) coaches Moloko
Mapasha (Magwato Primary School) during the 2021 KFC Mini Cricket
Activation at Rapoho Primary School in Bochum on the 19 May 2021 ©Muzi
Ntombela/BackpagePix
- Issac Senatla (Framework U16 Boys) helping Dimakatso Diala
(Rapoho Primary School) with her bowling action during the 2021 KFC Mini
Cricket Activation at Rapoho Primary School in Bochum on the 19 May 2021
©Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
