DONOR BATS:
The Aliwal Cricket Academy was established in January 2017 when we realised that there was a dire need for a more formal cricketing environment than the current setup allowed. Cricket in our town/schools is played only in the 4th term, which is only 6 weeks in total. We realised that this would never be enough time to develop players to a level where they would be able to complete on a higher level with other school like they do in other (more mainstream) sports.
The Academy focused on having the players practice through every term (year-round coaching) and we were elated to have a total of 54 players from Grades 1 – 7 enrolling at the Academy, and commiting to a full year’s cricket. We also expanded the Academy outside of Aliwal North, and the Primary School of Zatron, Free State affiliated with us and enrolled 36 players in the 4th term of
Establishing women’s/girl’s cricket is also one of our priorities in 2018, and we have already enrolled 14 Grade 8 – 11 girls that will start practicing at the Academy from February 2018In addition we will also accommodate 12 Grade 8 – 11 boys from February 2018. This brings our total number of players at the Academy to a total of 116 players that will receive year-round coaching and development through 2018!
Through the 1st year of running the Aliwal Cricket Academy, it became very clear that a lot of potential players are not engaging in cricket as a main sport due to the cost of equipment, where the main focus is of course, owning a cricket bat. For them it’s simple, no bat = no cricket. Being a non-traditional cricketing environment (where rugby is the main focus), parents are slow to purchase (expensive) equipment for their children.
With that being realised, we started buying up bats for our junior players on platforms like OLX and Gumtree, gave the bats a complete refurb, and then donated them to players who would not otherwise be able to afford a decent piece of willow.
With senior (Grades 9-11) players now joining the Aliwal Cricket Academy from 2018 on, we are now also looking at Short Handle bats. We are thus starting a drive to collect as many bats (of all sizes, even if they have cracks and dents and dings) from all possible donators so that we can fix, refurb and distribute them to as many needy players as we can.
Donated bats will be “branded” with our own set of stickers (see below) and will have the name of the person who donated the bat laser etched on the side of the thickest portion of the bat’s edge. Each bat will be numbered and details of who received the bat, together with a photograph of the bat being handed over, will be sent to the person who donated the bat.
If you have any bats that you would be willing to part with for this cause, please feel free to contact me using the details found at the top of this letter. Be assured that your old, unused or even cracked bat will breathe life into someone else’s cricketing career. Every bat will find new life in a needy and very appreciative youngster’s hands!!
We look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
___________________
Mario Geldenhuys
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+27 (0) 827059121