From Khayelitsha to the Cricket World Cup.
In June 2019, 13 young players and two coaches from Khayelitsha embarked on the trip of a lifetime to play cricket in the UK and watch their Protea heroes in the Cricket World Cup.
The vision of the Gary Kirsten Foundation is to create and maintain cricketing ecosystems in township areas, where a lack of quality infrastructure and coaching is limiting young players potential to develop
Since 2014, the GK Foundation has supplied five Khayelitsha schools with newly constructed artificial cricket nets, complete kit bags with cricket equipment and a full-time cricket coach, under the guidance of Gary Kirsten Cricket.
Local Khayelitsha coaches have been identified, trained and employed by the Foundation. These coaches have become the heroes of these programmes as they commit daily to township cricket development, and the Foundation rewarded them and their players with the opportunity to go to the 2019 Cricket World Cup in England.
Most of the players and coaches from Khayelitsha had never been on a flight, never mind an overseas trip, and there could be no better event than the ICC Cricket World Cup to show these young people what is possible in sport, and in life.
“I wanted to give them the opportunity of a lifetime – to go on a tour to the UK” says Kirsten,
“They played cricket against top schools, met their Protea heroes and attended matches at the biggest event of the sport that they love.
“In turn, I want to share the story of the GK Foundation to the International cricketing community, on a platform that could potentially reach millions across the world. “
A full squad (13 players) of U/13 Players from GK Foundation in Khayelitsha as well as 3 coaches, including Kirsten, travelled to England in June 2019. The tour included attending three Protea games – vs Afghanistan in Cardiff on the 15 June, SA v NZ in Birmingham on the 19th and against Pakistan on 24 June at the home of cricket, Lords.
