District Helps Find Talent Batmaster
VENTERSDORP – The funding of the Batmaster Multi Sport Social Development Program (BMSSDP) by the Dr. Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality is giving expressive meaning to the word value. This comes after the rural areas around the Ventersdorp Local Municipality profited from the unique program, which exposes previously disadvantaged children in such parts of region from an early age to highly technical sport codes.
According to Batmaster Program Director Richard Elms, the results to date have had influential wave to critics who at one stage had little believe that rural societies have the capability of success in technical sport codes beforehand held in reserve for communities with high-priced amenities and wealthy members.
“We are laying the basis for rural Ventersdorp to be a potential feeder of talent to the Provincial and National sporting bodies in the near future. The secret to the success of this program is the exceptionally patented tool that fast tracks the development of players who have no earlier training and exposure to the different sport codes presented,” he said.
Batmaster Chief Executive Johnny Rametsi has as well shared his views on the project, stating that its nation building potential as ‘unattached’ on the ground. “South Africa is successful in international sport, yet draws from a small pool of talent. The untapped sporting talent is huge and finding more Khunes, Ntinis, Radebes and Masingas are a reality if programs such as these are supported and implemented more widely.”
Rametsi also says it is no accident that this project was started in Ventersdorp, a rural town best known internationally boasting the products of both Left and Right Wing Politics through the late JB Marx and Eugene Terreblanch, who are both at the opposite poles South African Politics, but now becoming more united as the country continues its nation building exercise.
The Batmaster Program was initiated at the start of the year. It has since trained about fifty voluntary coaches who underwent extensive training in Cricket, Tennis and Golf with the aim to introduce it to the previously deprived communities, in particular rural areas. More of this program has reached farm communities in Buffelsdoorn and Ventersdorp. It will later on stretch to other similar societies in Makwassie Hills and City of Matlosana municipalities. – moloit@kaundadistrict.gov.za
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Batmaster Program Director Richard Elms awards Tebogo Mokgatle (Player of the Day). In the background is a group of other participants during coaching clinics held in rural areas of Ventersdorp.