Cash-strapped Alex Birds receive a timely lifeline
Cash-strapped Bluebirds Ladies FC of Alexandra has received a timely lifeline from a reputational and events management company ForwardZone in the form of taking care of its travel tab to matches.
The days when Bluebirds Ladies would hitch-hike their away to matches or even sweet-talk the cops to drop them there will now be a thing of the past.
This follows a partnership that the Birds have struck with a Hyde Park-based reputational and events management company, ForwardZone, which is a timely lifeline for the nearly relegated side that will see the company taking the tab for the travel costs.
ForwardZone’s senior events manager Raymond ‘Rayzor’ Marutha told Alex News his motivation and that of the company to come to the rescue of cash-strapped Bluebirds Ladies FC was based on the desire to see the girl child taken off the streets and away from mischief, and engaged in some activity designed to mould the child into a better future citizen of the country.
“As a company that is also a corporate citizen of the country, it is in our best interest to see these girls playing football and involved in some meaningful activity as opposed to loitering on the streets and being exposed to potential harm and mischief that is abundant in our streets,” Marutha added.
Besides taking care of the club’s month-to-month travel costs, ForwardZone has also contributed by supplying home and away kits, including a spare kit in case of a clash in colours.
“We have even gone the extra mile in our assistance of the senior team of the club that plies its trade in Sasol Women’s League to include the development side that plays in the Safa Regional League.”
Marutha said they have also roped in Evo Sports which specialises in training goalkeepers. “We also have licensed and registered coaches who also help upskill the club coaches in the various age divisions.
“We have also indicated that we want the girls to be kept together as a team even during the off-season and that friendly matches are organised and lined up. The 2022 season has just ended and the girls will again only kick the ball in March or April next year.”
He added this meant the players would spend well over six months sitting at home and would return unfit to play.
“We have asked management to give us a date so we can dispatch a fitness coach and trainer to assist in that respect too. In addition, we will offer them our scouts to spot potential players to be recruited.
“If the team can make it to the Hollywoodbets Super League, that would be a bonus for us, but we are not putting pressure on them but just to ensure the players have all the ingredients to compete fairly and be able to show for it.”
