On 30 and 31 March 2021, the GK Foundation spent an inspiring two days with more than 25 community cricket coaches at our GKF Centre of Cricket Excellence in Khayelitsha. The workshop, in partnership with Betway South Africa as part of their #BetwayCares Skills Hub initiative, allowed township coaches to discuss and learn from Gary Kirsten and Makhaya Ntini, and use coaching theory from the CoachED Cricket platform in an interactive format which allowed for robust discussion and debate.
Coaches from Khayelitsha and surrounding communities came together to learn new skills at the GKF Centre of Cricket Excellence.
The licensed CoachED platform is designed to enable aspiring coaches to complete an accredited online coaching qualification that provides a balanced combination of theoretical and practical knowledge. The workshop blended the online programme with real-life discussion, with new skills being learned and friendships being made. The Coaches present at the workshop will have access to the CoachED library for the next year, with further workshops being planned throughout the year.
Commenting on the the initiative, #BetwayCares Skills Hub ambassador Makhaya Ntini said that the development of coaches is a crucial aspect in promoting the game in communities.
“The #BetwayCares Skills Hub is an applaudable intervention from Betway in creating a platform for coaches to match their passion of the game with relevant skills training,” said Ntini. “The growth of the game in our communities relies so much on having knowledgeable and trained coaches and thanks to Betway, there is progress in bridging the gap. Having trained coaches also fuels interest in the sport, resulting in an even wider pool of cricket players, coaches and officials.”
The workshop blended online content with practical discussions, fostering new connections between coaches from different communities.Speaking on behalf of the foundation, Gary Kirsten said that he was looking forward to seeing the partnership help foster the growth of the township game.
“Far too often, people are unable to benefit from such cricket skills development for a variety of reasons. This workshop at the GK Foundation’s Centre of Cricket Excellence is just a starting point of the initiative which aims to give township coaches an opportunity to upskill their knowledge.”
“We see this collaboration as another step towards creating cricket excellence in township areas and allowing this untapped talent every opportunity to flourish,” said Kirsten.
Huge thanks to Betway for sponsoring the workshop, as well to Vodacom for providing tablets and RSAWEB for high-speed connectivity for the event. The GK Foundation is looking forward to working with these and other partners to upskill more community coaches across the country.
