The Midrand Action Sports arena works to develop future athletes
MIDRAND – In an attempt to assist children in underprivileged communities Midrand Action Sports have started their youth initiative.
Midrand Action Sports arena is assisting underprivileged children with their Youth Upliftment Through Sport fund.
The arena is situated in the heart of the Midrand CBD and offers indoor soccer, cricket and netball through hosting professional leagues.
Owner of Midrand Action Sports Tommy Strydom said, “We are very close to kids in underprivileged communities… We started the youth fund where corporates and advertisers can come and invest, and we will place 10 per cent of the revenue from advertising and corporate events into the fund to assist with the initiative.”
He added that the money raised through the initiative goes to transport for the children and hosting them at the arena. “The transport is one thing but we will need help in getting funds for getting them a kit, drinks and food to give a holistic approach to the whole project.”
The fund helps children from areas such as Tembisa and Soshanguve to play in a league structure that will be regularly hosted at the arena.
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Arena manager, Geoff Smit said that they have partnered with community leaders who use their own money and resources who have brought the children to use their facilities. He said, “We see these mentors bring the children using their own resources and we see what they are doing and want to assist them.”
Smit added that there has been a lot of work already done but the arena does need buy-in from corporates to assist in helping the youth initiative. He called on companies with corporate social investment budgets to donate before the end of the financial year.
The arena is also asking their customers to make a donation, of any amount, towards the initiative, while running a drive from 24 February to 29 February where, for every R10 spent on game fees, R1 will be placed into the fund with the arena matching each contribution.
The arena called on possible advertisers to buy space in their arena with a certain amount of the revenue going into the fund for the youth initiatives development.
He said that the youth initiative is important to give children from the underprivileged communities a good structure and team-building experience through sport.
Strydom concluded, “Sport is the best way to get children to know that they don’t have to do things alone. Its a perfect way for them to develop people skills and working in a team that can assist and help them grow.”
