Alexandra Cricket CLUB

ALEXANDRA CRICKET CLUB

Introduction about Alexandra Township

Alexandra or Alex for short, nicknamed “Gomora ”is a township located in Gauteng province, South Africa. It is part of Johannesburg, close to the wealthy suburb of Sandton and is bounded by Wynberg on the west, Marlboro and Kelvin on the north, Kew, Lombardy West and Lombardy East on the south. Alexandra is one of the poorest urban areas in the country. Alexandra was established in 1912, on land originally owned by a farmer, a Mr. Papenfus, who tried to establish a white residential township there, naming it after his wife, Alexandra. However, because it was (at the time) a considerable distance from the center of Johannesburg, this was not a great success.

It covers an area of over 800 ha (including east bank) and its infrastructure was designed for a population of about 70,000. Current population estimates vary widely and have been put at figures ranging from 800,000 to 1.1m. Its original stands of size of 500-600 sq.m is characterized by sizeable houses of reasonable stock but usually with 3 – 6 additional separate rooms built in the original gardens, each usually housing an additional family who rent from the main householder.

The additional rental units, which provide a significant income to the main householder, are termed “backyard shacks” although many are of brick or block construction of reasonable quality. There are an estimated 30,000 shacks of which approximately 7,000 are located in “backyards”.

Some facts about Alexandra Township:

· Unemployment is at a rate of 65%

· Education

o 5 High schools,

o 13 Primary schools

o 1 Technical College

o Major Sporting codes:

o Soccer

o Cricket

o Minor Sporting Codes:

o Soft/Base ball

o Netball

o Athletics

o Road running

Gauteng Cricket Background:

Gauteng Cricket Board Amateur Cricket as the name suggests is situated in the Gauteng Province, the economic hub of South Africa. Our offices are situated at the magnificent Bidvest Wanderers Stadium in Corlett Drive, Illovo, Johannesburg.



Amateur Cricket in this province administers all cricket that is played in the following demarcated areas: Soweto, Kagiso, Johannesburg North, Alexandra, Wits and surrounding areas, Vaal, South East Area, Jeppe, Lenasia and Johannesburg Central. Tertiary institutions that are affiliated to Gauteng Cricket are Wits University, University of Johannesburg, Vaal University of Technology and Wits Technikon.



A total of 52 Clubs participate in 18 Leagues that are administered by the Gauteng Cricket Board. Various associations are affiliated to Gauteng Cricket Board namely; South Gauteng Primary Schools cricket association, Gauteng High Schools Cricket Association, Gauteng Cricket Coaches Association, Gauteng Deaf Cricket, Gauteng Blind Cricket Association, Gauteng Cricket Umpires Association, Gauteng Cricket Scorers Association and Gauteng Women's Cricket.



The Board of Directors of the Gauteng Cricket Board are as follows:

F Salie (Acting President)

C Docrat (Chief Executive Officer)

A Villas (Treasurer)

TG Moroe

HA Manack

Dr MAS Moosajee

PJ Moroney

M Moswete

DR Neilson

G Templeton



Alexandra cricket background:

· Alexandra schools cricket started in 1987 with the introduction of mini cricket in the area by Dr Ali Bacher and Mr Joe Pamensky

· Have (8) Primary schools.

· The mini cricket programme has served as a feeder system into the junior and senior structures of the club.

· We have 5 High schools in Alexandra, out of this high schools, we have players from these schools that forms part of an Area (Alexandra) playing against formal cricketing schools on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The high school teams are made of:

o Under 14

o Under 15

o Under 16

o Under 18

o Total number of male players including club cricket = 80

o Ladies inclusive of mini-cricket = -+ 120

· The programme has always been supported by GCB from a funding point of view of which we cannot get everything that we wish to get in order to take the programme to the next level and increase the number of participants.

· Alexandra Cricket Club started in 1995

· The Alexandra Schools cricket is the feeder to the club from a players point of view

· The Club has 3 (three teams)

o The Premier league Team (First team playing in the Gauteng Premiere League)

o The second team playing in the Sunday League

o The third Team (Consisting of 7 youngsters and 4 elders) playing in the Sunday seven League

· We’re affiliated to Gauteng cricket Board, administered and aligned to their Constitution

· Alexandra Cricket Club has it’s own Constitution approved by GCB

Vision

· To produce born and brewed cricket players, cricket umpires, cricket scorers, cricket coaches, cricket administrators (Males and Females) that will represent Gauteng province , National teams (Jnrs and Snrs) and become morally and career oriented citizens of Alexandra Township.





How?

· By providing good coaching

§ Need quality coaches – young and energetic with a mentality for producing talent

· Providing skills to empower them (Players and Coaches) as better individuals and citizens of Alexandra township i.e

§ AIDS awareness

§ Substance abuse awareness

§ Physical and Psychological abuse

§ Life skills

· Man in the making

· Scout “training” there are good concepts that could be deployed with these kids

· Leadership skills

o Management skills

o Time management skills

· Technological skills

§ Mentorship

§ Advise players on Nutrition

Objectives of the Club:

The objectives of the club shall be:-



o To promote the playing and culture of cricket in the suburb of Alexandra and its surrounds , irrespective of race , gender , age or disability of its members;



o To adhere to the principles of fair play, and to abide the laws of cricket;



o To implement meaningful and sustainable developmental programs for the playing and promotion of cricket in the Alexandra area and its surrounds;



o To organize and/or participate in cricket matches , tournaments and fixtures organized by and /or sanctioned by the GCB;



o To use participation and promotion of the game of cricket as a means of enhancing the lives of its members;



o To ensure the highest code of conduct, discipline and the finest degree of, sportsmanship amongst its members, officials and supporters;



o To be affiliated with and promote the aims and objectives of the relevant sport councils/ bodies at local, regional and/or provincial level;



o To raise funds for the activities of the club and to administer such funds as may be necessary in order to carry out the activities of the club;



o To foster, encourage, promote, advance and generally assist and protect the interests of the game of cricket, the Club, its officials and members;



o To fulfill all the normal objectives of a Sports and Social club



Our Facility / Ground:

The Alexandra Oval is perched high on the township's East Bank, a new section of much-better housing that looks down on the rest of the place. A smack over the bowler's head would land the ball in a neat suburban street called Springbok Crescent. But a fierce pull over midwicket would send it bouncing into a rough-and-tumble shantytown of tin shacks and open refuse heaps.

The oval has been built on an old rubbish dump. The British government was prompted to put up some of the money after Douglas Hurd attended an Alex cricket clinic and a South African company did the bulldozing for free. The grass has grown lush and green and the Astroturf wicket looks smooth and safe, as it should - it was paid for by the Bank of England.

Target for 2014 and 2015 season:

· Produce One Provincial Player for the following age groups for male and females

o U 13

o U 15

o U 18

Needs Analysis:
•Club Coach – Just to cover travelling and phone expenses, the current school cricket coaches are paid by Gauteng cricket board
•Transport – (We pay _+ R900 a week to hire a Combi which drops us at a venue and then comes to pick us up after the game)
◦Sunday – 2 x teams playing away
◦Saturday -3 x Teams playing away
◦Wednesdays- 3 teams playing away
•Playing Equipment Team Kit bags x 3 kit bags (Value unknown)
◦Premiere Team (Seniors)
◦SU 1 (Seniors)
◦SU 7 (Jnrs)
•Playing and Training Clothes (Uniformity) and can be branded with the identified partner
◦Shorts
◦T-Shirts and Golfer Shirts
◦Track Pants
◦Caps
◦Helmets x 12 (4 per team)
◦Bowling Machine – Nice to have
•Cricket Stumps
◦Mini-cricket wooden stumps x 40 (shared by primary schools)
◦Senior Metal stumps x 6
◦Senior Wood Stumps x 4 pairs
•Club-House Maintenance
◦Paint
◦Brushes
◦Branded Score-Board
◦Desks/Table
◦Supporters Chairs
•Office Furniture
◦Desk
◦Desktop
◦Printer
•Ground Maintenance
◦General maintenance
◦Nets maintenance
◦Drainage and Pipe fixing
◦Landscaping (Grass cutting at least 2 x a week)
•Kitchen (New or second hand)
◦Fridge
◦Boiler
◦Micro-wave
◦Tea / Coffee Mugs
◦Plates
◦Side plates
◦Spoons
◦Forks
◦Knives
•Furniture (New or second hand)
◦Desks/Table (boardroom table)
◦Chairs

Nice to have:
•Television Set
•Video Cam - Technical coaching and bridging technical gaps
•DVD Player

PROJECT BENEFITS:

Alexandra Community

This project will benefit the kids and the community of Alexandra at large by helping groom responsible and respected young adults. On research done by a UK based Kaiser Family Foundation, it’s been found that 8-18year olds watch about four and a half hours of television a day. That is a very alarming stat seeing that the rate of obesity in our country is increasing by the day. Being involved in the programme will help them establish a regular schedule for physical activity and embracing a healthier lifestyle. It’s also been found that kids who play sports do better in schools, they also learn teamwork and goal setting.

Being involved in sports is also good for the health and boosts self confidence. It has also been found that sports cuts the pressure and kids feel less stressed and a little bit happier. Kids in sports will help reduce their chances of chronic diseases such as heart diseases, obesity, cancer etc. It is also recommended that children over the age of five should engage in at least sixty minutes of moderate physical intensity everyday.

The kids will be groomed to represent Gauteng schools and ultimately SA schools, but this can only be done with the help of private business and having all the stakeholders involved in this project. More importantly, with the extra help we can get from private business and individuals we can get more kids to go further their studies in varsity like it’s currently being done by the Gauteng cricket board.

Benefit to the Partner (To be agreed and negotiated):

· Sustainable Corporate Social Initiative

· Branding visibility (Around our field and Clubhouse pending on the volume of help/funding)

· Potential points earned on community empowerment

· Invite to the Presidential suite during local and international matches

· Joint naming rights of the club for a particular season

· Corporate name/logo on signs around the boundary line

· Corporate sponsor name/logo on all publications and collateral including letterhead, website, program brochures, newsletters

Alexandra Cricket Club Structure:

· Jack Madiseng – Chairperson

· Itumeleng Mokgotsi – Deputy Chairperson

· Tshepo Lesu – General Secretary

· Lesiba Mailula – Treasurer

· Thabang Selamolele – Additional Member

· Pule Rapodile – Additional Member

· Clement Mogohlwane – Additional Member

· Sabelo Mvumvu- Additional Member

Conclusion:

The past participants of the programme have had their lives changed because of the guidance and opportunities they received because of the programme. We have had many players being afforded opportunities to study at schools and tertiary institutions that are better equipped than the ones we have in our community. Such individuals are now successful and respectable members of the community in their own right. Thus, we would like to bring back the very same prestige that was associated with the programme by involving other interested stakeholders.

If the kids are not helped to further their cricketing skills and personal growth, we will have a community that does not have values and facing a bleak future for their kids. On our own, we can but we need all the help we can get from all concerned including private business.

Our Club and development programme is dependent on the grants that we get from the Gauteng Cricket Board for the day to day running of the programme. The grant helps a lot but doesn’t cover all the needs required. We want to produce more of the cricket stars and responsible individuals that we have come known to produce. Child development in sports and education is an expensive exercise and thus we need all the extra help we can get.