With the warm weather of summer upon us what better way to start the school year than by introducing and playing the game of cricket. While the Proteas show everyone how it’s done on TV, many of Sporting Chance’s community schools and clubs are emulating their heroes and thanks to the Tekkie Town donation can now do it with adequate equipment.

“For the children to have the correct equipment is essential if we want to develop the amazing cricketing potential in our communities,” states Wonga Matshabane, coordinator for the Sporting Chance Development Foundation.  Matshabane, an experienced cricketer himself, went on to add, “This donation from Tekkie Town will assist us to coach these talented youngsters, refine their skills and take them to the next level.”

The donation included not only batting pads, but wicket keeping pads as well, so teams will be well-kitted with protective gear. The cricket pads have and will continue to be distributed to the schools and clubs within Sporting Chance’s structures.

Juniors at the Khayelitsha Cricket Club received their brand new set of cricket pads at the first practice of the New Year and well overwhelmed with excitement. The u13 cricket team at St. Anthony’s Primary in Heathfield also received pads to start their new season and Mr. Calvin de Kock, deputy head at the school, expressed his appreciation in saying “Thank you very much for the very kind donation of cricket equipment. It is really appreciated by the boys – they could not believe their luck and spoke about the gesture practically all day at school.”

In addition a portion of the pads will be kept to be distributed to all the participants involved in the Sporting Chance Street Cricket programme which takes place later this year. The players will be able to take the natural talent and flair they display in the specially adapted Street Cricket and work it into the more conventional version of the game with the assistance of this protective gear.

Sporting Chance greatly appreciates the support of Tekkie Town and is thankful for this major donation. We will keep you updated with further developments as Tekkie Town and Sporting Chance make a significant difference in equipping the talented sports children of South Africa…

In addition to the training, all Sporting Chancers were in line to win spot prizes with special donations from our sponsors Hi-Tec, GM and Sportsmans Warehouse. Congratulations to our Hi-Tec hamper winners: Wylie Scarborough, Eric Lehmberg and Adrian Taylor and to our Junior GM bat winner: Zachary Nelson!

No Sporting Chancer however went home empty handed as everyone was rewarded with a bundle of sponsors goodies including a Kauai voucher which entitled them to a FREE Kauai Treasure Island kids meal, a 20% discount voucher from apparel sponsors Hi-Tec and a Flip File and BIC pen to start the new school year.

Many thanks to our sponsors for their continued support and to the our team of dynamic coaches and all the young Sporting Chancers for making these past holiday coaching clinics a phenomenal success. We now look forward to the term coaching…

For anyone wanting to join us the clinics continue on Monday and Tuesday next week…

Thanks to authors Sarah and Helen for giving these wonderful books to Sporting Chance to distribute to all the Calypso children. The books are a unique and important way to promote literacy amongst the community children and what better way to do that than matching the children’s love for sport with reading and learning!