Letter: Sport’s power to unify

Dolphins Rugby Club chairman Mark Svenningsen writes:

Firstly, I would like to thank Simon Scott for highlighting our club and the issues we face (Please support rugby, Letters June 25).

I would like to take this opportunity to respond and ventilate our challenges. We are the only club in our league (or any league that I know about in KZN) that isn’t based at a municipal facility.

This is the only reason we have been so nomadic.

We have to pay commercial rentals for the use of a field.

We have no income from any food and beverage sales due to this, whereas our opposition are either domicile, rent free or pay a pittance in rent and enjoy profits from hospitality.

The “amateur game” at our level is far from amateur.

The top sides in Durban pay their players, something we simply don’t have the means to do.

That is not to say that we don’t have talent.

Many of our players played representative rugby at school level and beyond.

Ballito Our limited resources are better spent on developing local talent.

We lay on free transport from local townships right up to Stanger and Mandeni for players to come to practice and matches.

This is completely funded from sponsorships and donations.

Our coaches give of their time for free, again unlike other clubs.

Our club is also the only opportunity a junior has to play 15-man rugby after primary school.

It is a sad fact that none of our senior schools play 15-man rugby any longer.

Surely our club is then the platform for junior 15-man rugby and should be seen as a regional first team?

As Mr Scott points out (and Nelson Mandela before him) sport has the power to change and unify.

I invite you (when Covid permits) to come and judge for yourself.

I think Mr Scott’s suggestion of a crowdfunding-type model has merit and we are investigating this.

Any other suggestions can be addressed to me at chairman@ballitodolphinsrugby.co.za.