Clubs hoping to fill any void left by further school sport disruptions
“We strive to help talent grow and it is important that they have a chance to get out of the house and stay healthy.”
School sport is the trickle that begins the flood towards international stardom, so turning off that tap risks having the supply run dry.
The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has not yet made a decision as to what level, if any, active school sport participation may return. The individual governing bodies of the various sporting codes all have decisions to make but Cricket South Africa, Tennis South Africa and most combat sport bodies are already allowing athletes to compete. The South African Football Association (SAFA) and South African Rugby Union (SARU) are slowly putting in place procedures for their amateur ranks.
Should the schools not be allowed to compete, clubs will be poised and prepared to offer sanctuary to young athletes needing to continue their development. “It is a Catch-22 when it comes to the GDE. You can understand why when you look at it from a safety point of view, but from a rugby standpoint, it is very sad,” said Roodepoort Rugby Club First XV coach, Mathys Booysen.
“The positive side is that we start later in the year and if there is no school rugby, we hope the boys flock to the clubs to get some game time. We have teams from under 6 to under 21, so we have plenty opportunity. There was no Craven Week last year so we missed on scouting too, but club rugby also helps with getting exposure for bursaries,” continued Mathys.
Gauteng club cricket resumes this weekend with several clubs scattered across the West Rand, and Stella Goosen from Roodepoort Cricket Club is ready to make space for anyone missing the game. “Club cricket provides a safer outlet for young athletes during this Covid-19 pandemic as it is a non-contact sport. We strive to help talent grow and it is important that they have a chance to get out of the house and stay healthy,” said Stella.
Football is the most-played sport in the country, and Panorama Football Club understands the importance of the school leagues. “We fully support school soccer and have appointed a head of youth to reach out to the schools to provide coaching and additional structure. Club and school soccer go hand in hand,” said Panorama’s Richard Walker. Where this a will, there is a way as nothing can keep athletes from doing what they love.
