Boost for Western Province Cricket Development Programme (13 Nov 1995)

13 Nov 1995 Boost for Western Province Cricket Development Programme

In response to a growing need for support of Western Province Cricket's development programme, official sponsor, Mobile Telephone Networks (MTN, has extended its existing commitment to the Association to include a donation of R 60 000 for the purchase of equipment and coordination of a coaching project for the 1995/1996 cricket season.

According to MTN regional general manager, Peter During, these were the two areas which would assist the development programme in achieving the set objectives.

MTN will contribute R 30 000 to the purchase of kitbags to be made available to primary schools and clubs participating in the USSASA Youth Cricket leagues at subsidised prices. Income from the sales will be used to purchase additional kitbags enabling more schools to benifit from the scheme - it is anticipated that within the three years, over 300 teams will be assisted with subsidised kit.

The remaining funds are to be used to introduce a coaching project which will focus on preparing players from disadvantaged areas to compete on an equal basis with boys who have been exposed to organised coaching at Model C schools.

Representative teams at youth level are selected via regional squads. As these teams are drawn from players who attend regional nets which only cater for the top 25 players in the region, there is an urgent need to focus attention on those promising young cricketers who otherwise would be overlooked.

Under this new coaching scheme, which involves the commitment of local teachers, each disadvantaged area will be divided into zones with practices supervised by level 2 coaches.

Source: Western Province Cricket Association