“The celebration was a fantastic event and testament to the Premier League’s investment in people and places both in the UK, but also across the globe. The positive social impact of Premier League football is felt well beyond the game itself, and we are committed to supporting those who need us the most.”
So said Nick Perchard, director of community at the Premier League, after Grootbos Foundation launched a brand-new resurfaced artificial pitch at Gansbaai’s sports facility, Spaces for Sport, on 29 January.
This moment was not only a celebration of the newly resurfaced pitch and the generous donors, Premier League, Grootbos Foundation and Rhino-Turf, who made this community initiative possible, but also the legacy of 16 years of youth development through sports, facilitated by Grootbos Foundation since 2008.
“The Spaces for Sport field was built in anticipation of the 2010 FIFA World Cup,” said Penelope Goemans, Communication Officer of Grootbos Foundation, “and has been used daily for free sports coaching, school sports programmes, and life skills development for 16 years. A fresh new pitch will not only be the site of another 16 years of youth development through sport, but also a reinvestment in the greater Gansbaai community.”
Delegates from all over the world attended the event and the pitch was formally launched with addresses from Dr Annelie Rabie, Overstrand Executive Mayor, Michael Lutzeyer, founder of Grootbos Foundation, George Barrett, Country Director for the British Council, Nick Perchard, Director of Community at the Premier League and Premier League Ambassador, Richard Scudamore, and William Allen of Rhino-Turf.
At the ribbon cutting the Western Cape MEC for Cultural Affairs and Sport Ricardo Mackenzie thanked all partners involved in this project. “The Western Cape could not do this alone without the sponsorship of all the partners. I also want to thank Rhino-Turf for their ongoing involvement.”
One of the highlights of this event was the presence of the Premier League Trophy, considered the V-VIP of the event and the celebrity soccer star and coach Shaun Bartlett.
In the days leading up to the launch, 32 local teachers and coaches from schools and sports clubs completed a Premier Skills programme which trains and equips people to become community coaches able to deliver physical education and multi-sports training in their communities.
“This 2,5-day training will directly improve the quality of sports training and physical education received by children in Gansbaai and the Overstrand,” Goemans said. “The training culminated in a showcase event in which participating community coaches were able to show their newly acquired skills off with a group of 90 enthusiastic children from Laerskool Gansbaai, Masakhane Primary and Gansbaai Primary School.”
