Beaulieu Preparatory School hosted their annual U11 cricket festival on 25 and 26 October.
Event organiser Robbie Brighton said that the school’s cricket has grown with the tournament’s primary aim to foster a love of the sport among the U11 players. The two-day festival has been running for seven years with a T20 structure among six schools. The schools hosted included Kyalami Preparatory School, Montrose Primary School, St David’s Marist Inanda and Woodridge College who have been involved in the festival since its establishment.
Brighton said, “There were always festivals for much bigger schools, so the establishment of the festival gives much smaller schools the opportunity to play.”
Festival co-founder Clive Kennerly said, “Our school has been here since the beginning after our senior side came on a tour up here. So we believed to create a festival for the U11 side.
“For a lot of boys, it’s the first time playing in a tour. For some its also their first time they play on a pitch. So it gives them the opportunity to play high-pressure cricket.”
Brighton said the importance of the festival is that there are not many chances for the U11 players to participate in a festival. “Many festivals usually cater to U13 teams and it’s important to foster the love very early and creating a camaraderie, so by the time they join an U13 side they have developed a love.”
Manager of Woodridge College U11 side Nick Stephenson said, “To give the boys the opportunity to take part in the festival is massive. For many of the U11 boys it’s the start of their cricketing career… These U11 festivals in any sports is such an important starting point.”
Details: www.beaulieuprep.org
Related article:
https://www.citizen.co.za/midrand-reporter/137630/beaulieu-preparatory-school-boys-impress-at-south-african-schools-judo-championships/
