Transforming cricket in Ikageng

Cricket in Ikageng is booming and this is mainly thanks to the cricket hubs and regional performance centres that Cricket SA has formed over the past couple of years. William Molewa has been at the centre of this cricketing journey and the head coach of Ikageng Cricket Club believes that quality coaching can go a long way in improving the lives of young and upcoming cricketers.

‘There are a lot of schools in the area that we focus on, on a weekly basis. We have approximately 140 kids who are part of the hub. The main aim is to   provide quality coaching so that the players improve gradually in order to play club, provincial and international cricket one day,’ said Molewa.

The ultimate focus for these hubs and RPC programmes is to provide the schools that feed into the hub access to facilities, to broaden the game of cricket among black communities in order to develop quality black African cricketers and to be a vital cog in the Cricket SA transformation agenda. According to Molewa, Phemelo Seipati, a current Ikageng Cricket club player and learner at HTS Potchefstroom, is a prime example of how the hub can change cricketers’ lives for the better.

‘Phemelo has done brilliantly and, even at 16, is already playing club cricket for Ikageng and has represented North West at various age group levels,’ he stated. There are currently six players in the North West Cricket system who have represented the province and started their cricket at the Ikageng hub. They are Tshireletso Tikoe (u.13), Reitumetse Skunka (u.13), Valentine Kitime (u.13), Phemelo Sepathi (u.15), Mpho Selaolane (u.18) and Tshegofatso Rampai (u.16 girls)

According to Molewa, the hub also puts a big focus on developing women’s cricket in Ikageng and recent highlights have justified this move to improve the women’s game. Tshegofatso Rampai (13) and Kgothatso Molefe (12) currently play for the Dragons’ senior women’s team, whilst Nomvula Jacobs is also one of the female coaches at the hub. ‘Women’s cricket is growing rapidly and we believe it is necessary to nurture the young talent coming through the system,’ Molewa said.