AFL South Africa – North West enters into a partnership with Department of Correctional Services

By Phindile Khambule

04 August 2007

On Friday the 3rd August 2007 AFL South Africa – North West has signed a partnership agreement with Department of Correctional Services (Klerksdorp – Christiana – Wolmaranstad – Potchefstroom).

The partnership came after numerous meetings between the two parties whereby presentations were made and a deal to establish footy in the Correctional Centers in the Klerksdorp management area was reached. In the four correctional centers AFL South Africa – North West will identify officials and inmates to give them training in coaching and umpiring to enable them to run footy activities on their own.

We target to train 20 coaches, 20 umpires and 200 players by the end of 2007 and we will create competitions opportunities for inmates to play with community footy clubs. In that way we will be contributing into the rehabilitation process of the inmates and providing them with an opportunity to socialize with community people so the day they come out they will be accepted by the community” said July Machethe – North West Provincial Development Manager”

“The Department of Correctional Services have the rehabilitation program which have been supported by the national document called The white paper to attract stakeholders like AFL South Africa to assist with the rehabilitation process of the inmates through sport – I say Footy is what we need and it came at the right time given is a new sport in the country” Said Komotere Jacob Monaisa – P.R.O for Klerksdorp Management Area.

“AFL South Africa – North West will make sure that this program is implemented and that it brings positive change into South Africa’s nation building, our country need change” added July.

Australian Football launches in Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal

MEDIA RELEASE
Friday 13th July, 2007
DJ Mzo from Gagasi 99.5FM, leading Australian music acts Evermore and Bliss ‘n Eso, and MTV cameras shooting a unique documentary will headline the launch of ‘Aussie Rules’ football and the Footy Wild™ program in Umlazi.

Please click the attachment for more details

media-release-australian-football-launches-in-umlazi-2.pdf

Geelong College the first School to visit North West “The Platinum Province”

By Phindile Khambule
05 July 2007

For the first time in its brief history, AFL South Africa is currently hosting a school group from Australia. Geelong College, one of Australia’s premier private schools from the State of Victoria is the first educational institution to visit the rainbow nation. The school students, aged 17-18 years, have flown over 10,000 kilometres to experience footy and netball on foreign shores.

Geelong College arrived in Johannesburg at O.R Tambo International airport to be welcomed by the very cold winter of South Africa. On day one, they drove through to Potchefstroom to view AFL South Africa’s Head offices and the wonderful facilities at Sedgars Park taking time out for a kick through the full size footy goal-posts.

“The footballers were genuinely surprised to find that away from home, there is another country that is really embracing the Australian game and even have facilities as good as back home,” said North West Provincial Development Manager July Machethe.

This was a time for introductions as the Geelong group were made welcome by the AFL South Africa team who were hell-bent on making sure that they enjoy their stay in South Africa

The Geelong College boys and girls both had the opportunity to undergo a “Footywild” training workshop to enable them to run the Footywild clinics. Footywild is ’s answer to AFL Auskick, aimed at 8 – 13 years olds boys and girls.

That afternoon, the College conducted Footywild clinics in Ikageng Township about 10km out of Potchefstroom, with about 70 kids participating.

“The College readily integrated with the South African kids, playing footy together and sharing a smile. It was amazing to see the Geelong boys and girls teach the Big 5 skills to our South African kids”, said July.

Geelong has certainly been part of history, as they have became the first team to play against all four regions of the North West Province. In total, the College played three games of footy and four netball matches. The matches took place in the Southern Region – Potchefstroom, Bojanala – Rustenburg, Central Region – Mafikeng and Bophirima – Vryburg.

“Collectively we have seen about 250 participants enjoying the experience, consisting of footballers, netballers, umpires, coaches, local volunteers and township kids”, said July. “Everyone has contributed to making the first Australian school tour to South Africa a great success. Visits like this are very important to the growth of sport in this country”, he said. “The combination of Footy and Netball is something that the AFL and AFL South Africa is looking to build on. It was great to see the local girls and boys building friendships with the Geelong College players of both genders – everyone learned from each other, making for some wonderful cross-cultural moments”, added July. After each match the Geelong College entourage has been treated to some of the local entertainment, highlighted by traditional dancers, who were only too keen to engage with the visitors.

“Best hospitality in South Africa-our home away from home. Everything was amazing-the culture, the life style and most of all the football and netball! Very inspiring people and athletes!” said Geelong College tour leader Jane Utting.

AFL South Africa is very keen to ensure that visits of this nature take place on an annual basis.

The Football Scores:

Geelong College 106 vs. Potchefstroom 23
Geelong College 100 vs. Mafikeng 39
Geelong College 107 vs. Vryburg 59

The Netball Scores:
Potchefstroom 27 def. Geelong College 15
Rustenburg 31 def. Geelong College 21
Geelong College vs. Mafikeng – Friendly Mixed game
Geelong College 32 def. Vryburg 18

AFL chiefs look to South Africa

By Stephen Rielly www.realfooty.com.au
04 July 2007

NOTWITHSTANDING the relative success of the Irish experiment and the remarkable individual stories of Dublin’s Jim Stynes, Kerry’s Tadhg Kennelly and, of late, County Down’s Martin Clarke, South Africa has become the AFL’s preferred international recruiting field of the future.

This much was confirmed last week when a partnership with a South African company controlled by Geelong president Frank Costa was announced in the Johannesburg town of Alexandra.

The partnership, between AFL South Africa and Costa Logistics, will underpin the immediate roll-out of an AusKick-like development program, FootyWild, across four provinces. The AFL hopes it will produce 30,000 participants between the ages of eight and 18 by the end of 2009. If that figure is reached, South Africa will have a player base similar to that of Tasmania.

The AFL’s game development manager, David Matthews, said yesterday that being able to introduce Australian football to a foreign country without compromises or modifications — combined with South Africa’s enthusiasm to bring about social change through sport — made the export a development priority for the league. “It’s now clearly our priority international market. We’re going to South Africa unashamedly. With an Australian football, an oval ball, in our hands and grounds, because of cricket, that are comparable to our own,” Matthews said.

Which is why, next summer, Carlton, Collingwood and Fremantle are expected to conduct pre-season camps in South Africa and two of those sides will play a pre-season cup match there. “We’re finalising plans for that game now,” Matthews said.

The AFL has committed $400,000 a year for three years to AFL South Africa, with four AFL clubs (Carlton, Collingwood, Fremantle and West Coast) expected to pay $40,000 each for exclusive development rights in a province. With partnership funds from the likes of Costa’s firm, Tattersalls and the South African Government, the overall development budget is close to $1 million a year.

The funds will employ as many as 10 development officers this year, who will be expected to take FootyWild to at least 80 schools and start to establish talent identification programs at under-13, under-16 and open-age level and an elite AFL South Africa Academy for potential draftees.

The AFL has sought to make South Africa more attractive as a potential source of AFL players by introducing an international scholarship scheme that creates a place for a South African draftee on club lists and allows them to be signed as early as 15. Irish players, by contrast, cannot be signed until they are 18.

“What Collingwood has been able to achieve with Martin Clarke, they could achieve again and more in South Africa because the players can be signed earlier,” Matthews said.

Costa Logistics Launch FootyWild in Johannesburg Township

Media Release
Monday, July 2

Alexandra sits in a dusty bowl in the heart of Johannesburg, covering an area of about 7 square kilometres. Only 3 clicks away, lies Africa’s wealthiest suburban precinct of Sandton. From outside a shanty dwelling in “Alex” you can see the glimmering twin towers that reflect the wealthy image of Sandton, much the same way as the Harbour Bridge identifies Sydney, Australia. For the residents of Alex it all seems so close, yet so far away.

In terms of geography, Alex represents an area 25 times smaller than Sandton yet the population base is about the same.

“That’s a sobering thought when you consider that in some parts of Alex, 80,000 people live in one square kilometre, with 3 x 3 tin shacks housing entire families of 6 and more,” said AFL South Africa (AFLSA) Ambassador and Provincial Development Manager for the Gauteng Province Mtutuzeli Hlomela

So then, it was with a great deal of hope and goodwill that the fourth generation family-owned Australian company, Costa Logistics helped launch a unique social responsibility partnership with AFL South Africa in Alexandra on the weekend. FootyWild, The New Game That Roars, was unleashed on the shanty town with spectacular results.

Last Friday Mtutuzeli and his team combed the streets of Alex looking for youngsters aged 8-13 years that might like to try FootyWild, South Africa’s answer to AFL Auskick.

“The recent public service strike in South Africa has meant that schools have not been operational for over a month and it was obvious that these kids were crying out for some structured activity, “ said Mtutu. “We want to give these kids opportunity”.

The next day at a cricket ground overlooking the shanty township, more than 80 kids came out of the woodwork to experience all that is “raw and wild” about the great Australian game.

Costa Logistics staff were on hand to help teach the kids the BIG 5 Skills of Footy – Kicking a Super Goal (Kicking), Taking aSpeccie (Marking), Using your Hands to Create (Handball), Chase Tackling an Opponent (Defensive Skills) and even the Blind Turn (Evasive Skills).

“Costa Logistics South Africa is excited by the opportunity to partner with AFLSA in supporting the Footy Wild program for the next three years” said Chief Executive Officer Anthony Jackson. “The company sees the Footy Wild program as a unique way in which to have a positive impact on communities across the nation. Through daily and weekly programs, Footy Wild has the potential to engage children, their parents and community volunteers in an organised activity, focussed on developing both physical and social skills”, said Jackson

The Costa Logistics partnership is a National sponsorship arrangement extending across the four Provinces in which AFL South Africa is now working. The three year commitment, valued at approximately 3.6 million Rand, will provide participation opportunities for over 16,000 FootyWild participants by the end of 2009.

Importantly the partnership goes well beyond a cash injection with Costa Logistics providing Gauteng office accommodation and support, training for AFLSA staff and even the possibility of a strong volunteer army to support the FootyWild program in Alexandra.

“AFL South Africa is delighted to have the Costa Group as the major partner of FootyWild”, said AFLSA Executive Officer Jean Verster. “We aim to embrace the Costa philosophy of “hiring for character, training for skill”, as we steadily build a team of committed local staff and volunteers that will become the cornerstone of our participation growth plans”, said Verster.

COLLINGWOOD CEO VISITS CAPE TOWN TOWNSHIP

By Allison Simons
28 June 2007

Gary Pert, CEO of Collingwood Football Club in Melbourne ,Australia, and his wife, Andi, spent an afternoon in Khayelitsha on Wednesday 20th June with approximately 60 kids from the local area who were participating in a mini-Footy Wild clinic conducted by AFL South Africa. The clinic was organized by Vusi Madalane, the newly appointed Khayelithsa Community Development Officer for AFL South Africa, in conjunction with Mazizi Sifanelo, the Nyanga Community Development Officer and a host of volunteers recruited from Khayelitsha and other townships in the Cape Town area.

The clinic was conducted at the picturesque Khayelitsha Cricket Oval and the kids were taught the basic skills of footy by Vusi and his team. Following this, the kids were given the opportunity to display the new skills that they had learnt in several 12-a-side matches.

“The skill displayed by this group of youngster is very impressive, especially given the fact that many of them were completely new to the game” said Allison Simons, the Western Cape Provincial Development Manager.“I am pleased that Gary and Andi were able to attend the clinic and see for themselves the potential that Cape Town has to offer.

Collingwood Football Club has shown a considerable amount of interest in the activities of AFL South Africa in Cape Town and are in the process of negotiating a partnership with AFL South Africa which will see them adopting the Western Cape as their exclusive South African Development Zone. This partnership will not only see a sharing of resources, skills and knowledge between the two organizations but also provides an opportunity for talented young Cape Town boys to be recognized and developed as potential professional players .

Geelong College visits South Africa

By Phindile Khambule
25 June 2007

AFL South Africa is privileged to host one of Australia’s top schools, Geelong Collge during the June/July holidays. They will be spending some time in Potchefstroom (AFL South Africa head office) and also they will be visiting the neighbouring communities, helping to run FootyWild clinics for local kids.

Geelong College will play 3 matches, in Potchefstroom, Mafikeng and Vryburg and will also tour around some parts of our beatiful country, including Cape Town.

Please find the detailed schedule below:

Geelong Schedule

FootyWild Roars for a new breed of Development Officer

By Phindile Khambule
12 June 2007

After an exhaustive talent search to find Australian Football’s newest Development Officers, the expanded team at AFL South Africa are about to take the “Big 5” skills of footy to Primary schools throughout the country.

“For a game that is virtually unknown in most parts of South Africa, we received an amazing level of interest in the 10 Community Development Officer (CDO) positions we recently advertised in four Provinces,” said Operations Manager Joel Kelly.

Australian Volunteer Travis Jackson, who is working for AFL South Africa and the Oaktree Foundation in Kwa Zulu Natal, was instrumental in finding a way to identify the best young people for the massive task ahead.

“We decided to take a slightly unconventional approach to the recruitment process, as we knew very little about the applicants and the majority of them knew next to nothing about our game”, said Jackson.

Instead of the standard short-listing for interview, the team at AFL South Africa simply invited the strongest candidates to each Provincial hub, for a practical introduction to our game and inter-active problem solving activities.

“It was almost like a draft camp of a different kind – we showed them the game, we got to see first hand who understood what we were talking about, who could think on their feet and who demonstrated the sort of leadership, initiative and potential we are looking for to introduce a relatively new sport in a new market”, said Jackson.

Admittedly, some of the applicants thought they were applying for soccer jobs, but once they saw the Australian game and had a go, they all became instant converts.

This is a theme close to the heart of AFL South Africa’s Head Coach and Ambassador Mtutuzeli Hlomela, who applied for a “football scholarship” in 10 years ago, thinking it was a soccer academy, only to discover he had actually accepted an Australian Football invitation to trial with Sturt FC in the SANFL!

“I could certainly appreciate what some of the applicants were feeling”, said Mtutu, “as I was in exactly the same boat a decade ago, but look at me now – I am part of the greatest game in the world and know that these young men will feel the same as me before too long.

The ten successful candidates are all young South African males in their twenties, some with experience as volunteers with South African agencies such as SCORE (Sports Coaches Outreach), some with University backgrounds, others with no knowledge of footy whatsoever, but all of them driven by a common love of sport and passion for community development.

Take 20 year old Mazizi Sifanelo from Nyanga township in Capetown, as a shining example of the possibilities. Mazizi first started playing footy about 9 months ago, when Allison Simons (Australian Volunteers International – AVI) came to Capetown to work for AFL South Africa. Since that time he has toured Australia to play the Indigenous U16 National side (Feb 2007) and volunteered to help Allison with the introduction of the game in his own township. Now he has a full-time job working in footy and can see the potential for the foreign game in his country.

“After two weeks of training with my new work-mates I can see we have a great team of enthusiastic young people ready to take the game to the next level – this really could be the new sport for the new South Africa,” said Mazizi.

The sight of a ten young South African men teaching the skills of Aussie Rules to over 500 local boys and girls from three township schools this week, has signaled a key turning point in the development of the game abroad. “Africans teaching Africans is what capacity building and empowerment is all about,” said Kelly.

As a result of the intensive training program and trial sessions with schools in the North West Province, the CDO’s have helped shape and develop the FootyWild program, South Africa’s answer to AFL Auskick. The program is developing its own South African flavour with its own unique style. The new approach has already given birth to some strange but effective footy terms that South Africa’s youth can relate to, “Swing your arm like an elephant’s trunk,” said young Mazizi with quiet confidence, as he showed his new counterparts how to teach the handball skill.

In the second half of 2007, AFL South Africa will introduce the FootyWild program to 4000 school children from 80 Primary schools in four Provinces. Volunteers will be empowered to assume management of 20% of the FootyWild programs in 2008, as part of a dedicated growth strategy moving forward. Who knows where it could lead to from there?

One thing is for certain though – FootyWild is the new game that roars and it’s about to make plenty of noise in southern Africa. Can’t wait to hear that!

“FootyWild – The New Game That Roars”

There is a new game that is about to roar in South Africa. “FootyWild” is an introductory sports program unlike any other, that will launch in Potchefstroom this April providing the opportunity for young South African boys and girls aged 8 – 13 years to play the unique game of “footy”, which in Australia is often called AFL, Australian Rules Football or Aussie Rules.

FootyWild is derived from the Australian introductory program called AFL Auskick. The African program will introduce young players to everything that is wild and exciting about the funny game from Australia.

Specially designed skills drills, games and modified rules matches will teach kids how to take high marks, kick goals from impossible angles, bounce the funny shaped ball on the run, use creative handball and tackle opponents from any direction.

AFL South Africa Ambassador and Head Coach Mtutuzeli Hlomela is very excited about the new program.

“Unlike soccer you can use your hands as well as your feet and because the game is played in 360 degree fashion, it provides a challenge that is very different to rugby. At youth and senior level players can tackle from behind and move the ball in any direction by hand or foot. It’s fast and exciting and some say the most spectacular sport in the world”, said Mtutu.

The National launch of FootyWild will be conducted in Potchefstroom on Saturday April 14 at Sedgars Park the home of AFL South Africa. The launch from will act as curtain-raiser to the Australian Under 17 National teams very first game against South Africa on Saturday April 14 which will start at 3pm.
The Australian team is represented by the finest young talent in the country many of which will go to play at elite AFL clubs next year.

“Following the launch, FootyWild will be run as pilot program in Potchefstroom during the second term of school, providing the local Development staff with a chance to test the product, before releasing it across four provinces in the second half of the year”, said new Operations Manager Joel Kelly, who has just arrive in South Africa on secondment from the AFL. Gauteng, Kwa Zulu Natal and the Western Cape will also have the opportunity to try the new sport for the new South Africa said Mr Kelly.

FootyWild is fast as a leopard, mighty as a lion and totally wild. To find out more please contact your Provincial Development Manager in your Province (refer to contacts page) or AFL South Africa at Sedgars Park on +27 18 293 3158.

Footy Aussie Style Hits South Africa

An Australian U17 team made history on Saturday April 14 2007 when they played the first ever International game of footy against South Africa in Potchefstroom, the home of AFL South Africa, in the country’s North West

The North West Cricket Stadium (Sedgars Park), normally used to the sound of cracking willow, was transformed in to an alien playing field, as 36 young men chased leather of a totally different shape and feel for the very first time. AFL standard goal-posts stood tall in front of the traditional sightscreens, the scoreboard rained goals and behinds rather than runs and wickets and the small but enthusiastic crowd of African and Aussie supporters cheered every kick, mark and tackle instead of sixes and fours.

As was to be expected from a group of young men, many of whom will be at AFL clubs in the next year or two, the Aussies proved far too skillful for a South African team still learning the game. Despite the convincing victory to the Australians, there was nothing but sportsmanship on display as both teams joined as one at the post-match function, singing and dancing to their very own tune.

The unbridled emotion shown by both groups clearly showed that they were all aware that they were a part of something special – an historic occasion where Australians young and old, watched in delight as another culture embraced our Indigenous game as their own. This was not International Rules or some other hybrid version of Australian football – this was footy, the new game that roars in Africa!

Ahead of the main game, over 300 South African youngsters aged 8 – 16 years filled Sedgars Park in a sea of colour as “FootyWild” games erupted everywhere. The Under 16’s curtain-raisers saw the locals wear the colours of AFL Clubs, Fremantle (North West) , West Coast Eagles (Kwa Zulu Natal) and Collingwood (Western Cape) , each of which has fostered a Province, as the game expands across South Africa.

The comraderie developed between the South African and Aussie boys over a week of school clinics, township visits and cultural tours, emphasised that this particular AIS/AFL tour was about so much more than developing the lads as footballers.

“This week I saw 30 young Australian men mature as people – they can return home safe in the knowledge that they have been fine Ambassadors for their country,” said AIS Assistant Coach and former Brisbane Lions legend Michael Voss.

The tour now heads to Capetown, where the Aussie boys will launch FootyWild, Africa’s answer to Auskick, in two major townships before the long journey home

Sat April 14 Match Result – Australia 23 : 24 : 162 def South Africa 1 : 6: 12
Goalkickers
Australia: Hartlett 4, Ebert , Rich, Cotchin, Grimes 2, Morton, Notte, Whitecross, S reid, Maric, Smith, Stanton, Dangerfield, Gugliotta, Zespreni, Cornelius 1
South Africa : Benji Motuba 1
Best players:
Australia : Dangerfield, Cotchin, Ebert, Hartlett, Gaerter, Grimes, Maric, Ross
South Africa: Richard Phakedi, Brian Mitchell, Benjamain Motuba, Steven Matshane, Julian Horn