The Power Play Women’s Cricket Tournament in Kleinvlei, Cape Town, is more than just a competitive sport. It promotes youth engagement, community development, and advancement of women’s sports, serving as an initiative aimed at empowering youths and fostering unity and teamwork. The tournament offers a beacon of hope for the young people of Kleinvlei, inspiring them to join, learn about the sport, and interact with their fellow community members. The tournament has become a much-awaited event in the local sports calendar, a testament to its success and its positive impact on the community.
The Power Play Women’s Cricket Tournament in Kleinvlei, Cape Town, is more than just a competitive sport. It promotes youth engagement, community development, and advancement of women’s sports, serving as an initiative aimed at empowering youths and fostering unity and teamwork. The tournament offers a beacon of hope for the young people of Kleinvlei, inspiring them to join, learn about the sport, and interact with their fellow community members.
Far beyond being a mere sport, cricket has served as a community builder, an instrument of empowerment, especially for women, and a catalyst for change. This sentiment was vividly demonstrated during the recent Power Play Women’s Cricket Tournament in Kleinvlei, Cape Town.
The meticulously organized and efficiently executed tournament, a project of the City of Cape Town’s Recreation and Parks Department, concluded its second year on a successful note. Its significance lies in its promotion of youth engagement, community development, and above all, the advancement of women’s sports.
The Power Play for Women Cricket Tournament, however, is not just about a competitive sport. As described by Councillor Patricia Van der Ross, the Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, the event represents an initiative aimed at empowering youths and fostering a sense of unity and teamwork, going beyond the sporting aspect.
The tournament, in 2021, saw the Recreation and Parks Department extending its support to the Kleinvlei Cricket Club with a specific focus on promoting women’s cricket. David Poggenpoel, the founder of the club, has been ceaselessly dedicated to the administration and coaching of cricket. Under his supervision, the Kleinvlei Cricket Club, despite being only three years old, boasts both men’s and women’s teams, with the latter competing at the premier league level.
The club’s unique policy of offering free membership for the youth is a strategy designed to eliminate financial barriers that might hinder participation. This inclusive approach has been instrumental in inspiring young people to join, learn about the sport, and interact with their fellow community members.
The importance of the tournament goes beyond the cricket field. For the young people of Kleinvlei, the tournament serves as a beacon of hope in a community grappling with crime and unemployment. As Councillor Van der Ross emphasized, cricket is not just a game but a pastime that fosters teamwork, social interaction, communication, and cooperation.
The successful execution of the tournament is the result of collective efforts from various stakeholders, including Sub Council 21, local councillors through ward allocated funding, City’s Disaster Risk Management, Kleinvlei MFMC, local Neighbourhood Watch, and SAPS.
The tournament served as a platform for the display of exceptional talent and determination among participants from four teams—Kleinvlei CC (Gladiators), Hanover Park Cricket Club, Curro Durbanville, and Durbanville Composite (Renegades). The players put on a remarkable show, winning acclaim for their performances.
The best batter, Carleigh Gallant of Kleinvlei CC, scored an extraordinary 74 runs, while Bronwyn Abrahams from Hanover Park CC stood out as the best fielder with her four catches and one run out. Sofia Berien from Kleinvlei CC took four wickets at an economy rate of just 3.8 runs per over in six overs, earning her the accolade of the best bowler. Sasha-Lee Valentine from Kleinvlei CC bagged the best wicketkeeper award. The coveted Player of the Tournament was also bagged by Carleigh Gallant who, in addition to her batting exploits, took two wickets and made a catch.
Stories of individual triumphs and the love for the sport also formed part of the narrative of the tournament. Sasha-Lee Valentine, a 14-year-old resident of Kleinvlei, spoke passionately about her role as the wicketkeeper and the support she received from her grandmother. Nawaal Hanslow, representing the Hanover Park Cricket Club, shared her inspiring journey from being a spectator to an all-rounder and now a specialist batswoman.
The Power Play for Women Cricket Tournament has become a much-awaited event in the local sports calendar, a testament to its success and its positive impact on the community. While the cricket tournament may not provide all the solutions to the challenges faced by the Kleinvlei community, it certainly offers an opportunity for residents to come together, strive for excellence, and find unity in their shared love for cricket.
The Power Play Women’s Cricket Tournament in Kleinvlei, Cape Town, is an initiative aimed at promoting youth engagement, community development, and the advancement of women’s sports. It serves as a beacon of hope for the young people of Kleinvlei, inspiring them to join, learn about the sport, and interact with their fellow community members.
The tournament promotes inclusivity and transformation, going beyond the sporting aspect to foster a sense of unity and teamwork. It eliminates financial barriers that might hinder participation and serves as a platform for the display of exceptional talent and determination among participants from four teams.
Some of the tournament’s achievements include the promotion of women’s cricket, the elimination of financial barriers that might hinder participation, and the fostering of a sense of unity and teamwork. The tournament has become a much-awaited event in the local sports calendar, a testament to its success and its positive impact on the community.
Participants of the tournament include four teams—Kleinvlei CC (Gladiators), Hanover Park Cricket Club, Curro Durbanville, and Durbanville Composite (Renegades). The players put on a remarkable show, winning acclaim for their performances.
Carleigh Gallant of Kleinvlei CC won the accolade of the best batter, while Bronwyn Abrahams from Hanover Park CC stood out as the best fielder. Sofia Berien from Kleinvlei CC took four wickets at an economy rate of just 3.8 runs per over in six overs, earning her the accolade of the best bowler. Sasha-Lee Valentine from Kleinvlei CC bagged the best wicketkeeper award.
The Power Play for Women Cricket Tournament offers an opportunity for residents to come together, strive for excellence, and find unity in their shared love for cricket. It promotes the advancement of women’s sports and inspires young people to join, learn about the sport, and interact with their fellow community members. The tournament serves as a beacon of hope for the young people of Kleinvlei, inspiring them to pursue their dreams and achieve their full potential.
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