English cricket player joins Kyalami sport foundation

A new partnership between a sports foundation and a former international cricketer has developed into a collaboration to train local football coaches.

Mintlangu Sports Foundation, which is based in Pretoria but has training centres in Kyalami, has featured previously in the Fourways Review. We reported on their expansion into different sports and their training facilities in Kyalami.

Former England cricketer Roland Butcher has come on board to assist with the virtual training of Mintlangu’s coaches, which may soon lead to practical training sessions.

Born in Barbados, Butcher made a name for himself on the cricket pitch as a wicketkeeper for England, and was the first black cricketer to represent the country. He also played semi-professional football in England, is a Uefa-licenced football coach and works with the Barbados Football Association.

According to the chairman of the foundation, Papa Douglas Shilubane, Butcher was recommended to the Mintlangu Foundation by the Indian-based Institute of Sports and Technology. After going through Butcher’s methodology, Achieving Excellence, the institute approved the partnership that would see Mintlangu introducing Butcher’s football training methodology in the SADC (Southern African Development Community) Region.

Butcher said there were many values that attracted him to partnering with the foundation as they were similar to his own.

“The partnership with Mintlangu began several months ago. I was very impressed with the great work being done by the foundation, and my coaching methodology was a perfect fit for what they are trying to achieve,” he said.

With Butcher working with Mintlangu, he will be teaching his methodology to the coaches, players, managers, administrators and others connected with the foundation, and the projects they are undertaking.

Shilubane said the foundation had found different methods to improve the training methodology since lockdown started.

“Training at Beaulieu Colleges and the league programme was disrupted by the lockdown,” he said.

“The foundation embarked on various ways to improve the training methodology which included meetings with Brazilian soccer schools and other organisations who specialise in football development.”

Shilubane added that he was extremely excited about the partnership with Butcher and what it could do for the foundation in terms of its growth.

“As chairman, I hope to see this partnership producing capable players for our national teams, and the premier soccer leagues.

“South African soccer has lost its identity, and there are similarities between Butcher’s methods and the African style of play. We, therefore, hope that his methodology will bring back the lost spark in our football.”