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 http://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.

Grand Final Breakfast

By Phindile Khambule
27 September 2006

The Australian Football League South Africa
Has the pleasure of inviting you to a

Grand Final Breakfast

On the 30th September 2006 at the Sports Cafe, V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.

The purpose of the event is to get together to watch the Australian Football Grand Final live from the MCG in Melbourne, Australia, and also to announce the launch of AFL South Africa in the Western Cape.

Due to the fact that the game will be shown live from Australia, the function will begin at 6am. Kick off is at 6:30am.

Food and drinks will be available for purchase from the venue. The Sports Cafe have organised a special breakfast menu (R45 for a full English Breakfast including coffee) and other snacks will be available.

Please feel free to pass on this invitation to anyone you think may be interested in attending but please remember that RSVP is essential by the 29th September, before lunch time (by email or by phone), as we will need to confirm final numbers with the venue.

Detailed directions to the venue and more information will be provided once your attendance is confirmed.

For more details, please contact

Allison Simons
Development Officer – Western Cape

Cell: 072 3569939
Email: allison@aflsouthafrica.org

AFL SOUTH AFRICA AND NWCA PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

By Phindile Khambule
30 August 2006

Australian Football League South Africa and North West Cricket Association has agreed to a partnership, which was launched on the 28th August 2006. AFL SA is an affiliate of the AFL in Melbourne, which is the number one sport in Australia.

The partnership will see a sharing of facilities and coaching staff and create a bigger capacity for both organizations.

Sedgars Park will become the Administrative and Playing Headquarters of AFL South Africa. AFL SA will have the usage of all facilities at the Sedgars Park which will include the Gymnasium and all other conference and Entertainment areas.

AFL South Africa will be given certain commercial Advertising and Hospitality rights at Sedgars Park. NWCA is satisfied that the financial contribution of the AFL South Africa justifies the partnership.

Mr Jacques Faul, NWCA CEO, said “ The AFL is a sports organization that is run very professional and we are honored to partner with them in South Africa”.

Mr Jean Verster, AFL South Africa CEO, said “ Cricket and AFL has had a relationship since the beginning of organized “Footy” a hundred and fifty years ago. It was invented by cricketers from the original aboriginal game of mangrook and is played on cricket fields”.

NWCA will actively promote the game in the North West and the rest of South Africa. This will further the objective to maximize the use of the stadium and to partner with other sporting codes.

The partnership is also investigating a joint commercial venture. This however will depend on reaching certain targets within the next two years.

For more info please contact

LOUISE VORSTER

Media Liaison North West Cricket Association

Tel : 018 294 6666
Fax : 018 294 5628
Mobile : 083 679 6700
E-mail : louisev@cricket.co.za

Vryburg Junior League

By Phindile Khambule and Kabelo Seoka
22 November 2005
The Vryburg junior league has now finished. As expected things went very well and everyone was happy to be part of it. The players, coaches, umpires and league organizers worked hard to make sure the league was a success and as demonstrated by the standard of the games and the amount of fun the kids had it definitely was.

The Vryburg junior league had four teams who competing very hard, it showed they were well prepared but unfortunately only one team had to take the trophy home. Even though there was only one winner it was a great experience for all involved. This was the second junior league in Vryburg, we are planning that next year we will have a bigger and better junior league.

The following are the teams competed in the leagues:

1. Extreme Eagles

2. Western Bulldogs

3. Dikwena

4. Western Lake Deamons

The Extreme Eagles were the happy team for winning the league. “When I started preparing my team for the league, what was running on my mind was winning nothing else as every coach will wish. I imagined every day how my players would feel after defeating because they’ve been very dedicated and working hard”: said the coach of the winning team.

The Chairperson for AFL Vryburg will like to pass special thanks to the following people for being part of the league and for making it happen.

Team, Coaches, Umpires, Parents, The community, The municipality for helping with the field, AFL South Africa and all the supporters.

Junior Leagues

By Phindile Khambule
08 November 2005

Vryburg is running an U/13 league with four community based teams, local community volunteers coach them. Including the grand final the league is five weeks long. The grand final will be played on the weekend of November 11^th 2005 in the Huhudi Township. Who will be premiers? Will it be the Extreme Eagles, Dikwena or the Western Bulldogs?

If you are near Vryburg please grab your sunscreen, umbrella and enough water to watch football.

Ventersdorp has stated an eight week, six team U/13 league has been started. The league coordinators are contributing to the smooth running of the league. Visit the local sports grounds to watch the games from the Ventersdorp U/13 junior league. The grand final will be played in December 2005.

ARA Be Your Best Rock Challenge Festival

Venue: Johannesburg, The Coca Cola Dome
Dates: 17^th – 20^th October 2005
Duration: 4 days.

By July Machethe
02 November 2005

In June this year the organizers of the ARA (Industry Association for Responsible Alcohol Use) Be Your Best Rock Challenge invited AFL South Africa to be part of this year’s event. We gladly accepted the offer to conduct Australian Football workshops for both primary and high school learners over four days.

There were 20 different organizations conducting workshops, these ranged from footy, to basketball, to drumming, making healthy choices and cheerleading. The Rock Challenge was divided into two parts, during the day the schools participated in workshops and rehearsed for their evening performances. In the evenings they performed their dance acts to a wide variety of different music. It was great to watch with lots of variety and movement on the stage.

AFL South Africa is expanding into Gauteng in the very near future and given that most of the participating schools are located in Gauteng this was a great opportunity to introduce Australian Football to the learners and educators.

 

On the morning of October 17^th we arrived at The Coca Cola Dome in Northgate, Johannesburg. We were all looking forward to the next days although we didn’t really know what to expect.

AFLSA Facilitators involved were:

1. July Machethe – Head Development Officer
2. Jack Arnold – Gauteng Development Officer
3. Phindile Khambule – Head of Umpiring
4. Benjamin Motuba – Assistant Gauteng Development Officer
5. Modise Serapelo – Rustenburg Community Development Officer

On the first two days we ran footy workshops for primary school learners, the third and fourth days were high school learners. Each day we ran 5 x 45-minutes workshops. The learners were shown a short video of Australian Football as an introduction then divided into four different groups, each learning a different skill. They were Kicking, Handballing, Marking and Umpiring, focusing mainly on goal umpiring. At the end we made a big circle and sang a song. This grabbed us a lot of attention and the learners could be heard singing the song throughout the day.

In total by the end of the festival we trained kids in margin of 1100 – 1200 in number both girls and boys and we had close to 40 teachers accompanying the kids, which helped to control them. We gathered as much contacts as possible and also gave our business cards to the school teaches including brochures about our game.

We received a great response from all schools, the learners were very keen to learn about Australian Football and they all want to see footy introduced in their schools. We had a 4 minutes DVD of Australian football showing on the 2 big screens in the Dome every breakfast, lunch and dinner. The kids just loved the video and reacted by cheering to what they saw – that was the moment we knew football would become one of South Africa’s crowd favorites sport.

At the end of the four days we were all tired, but happy as it had been a successful time for AFL South Africa and the learners alike. The producer of the event happened to be an Australian – Andrew Douglas. We presented him and the event manager – Kat Masike with a footy each and a certificate of appreciation that we hope they will hang on their wall in the office.

Special thanks to Kat Masike for the tremendous time she spent to plan us in. We definitely want to be involved next year when the ARA Be Your Best Rock Challenge visits nine cities including Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town and Bloemfontein.

Be Your Best while kicking a footy!