3rd annual FNS awards function takes cricket to a new level
FNS Cricket has moved from its humble beginnings to 52 members and a dedicated crop of young coaching staff
The local FNS Cricket Coaching Academy notched up its third annual awards function at the Mount View Conference Centre on Sunday (November 27) in fine style in the company of 200 parents, young cricketers, sponsors and donors.
Jaybalan Mannikam, Deputy Director of Sport & Recreation, quipped that the awards function paralleled the South African DSR Sports Awards in Bloemfontein, and FNS could be proud of bringing the glamour and glitter to the local scene.
It was a memorable awards day, as the entire 52 young boys and girls were rewarded for an outstanding year.
FNS Cricket has moved from its humble beginnings to 52 members and a dedicated crop of young progressive coaching staff.
Head Coach Faroek Seedat and his team must be commended for raising the bar and presenting a year-end function with panache. The guest speaker, retired Windsor Secondary School principal Mr RG Reddy, said that the FNS narrative must be seen within the context of challenges that the academy faced this year: “My external assessment of FNS finds that it has ticked off all the boxes, headlined those areas that need to be addressed next year, and has set a standard for local sports to be nurtured, mentored and taken to the next level.
“Congratulations to everyone – parents, donors and sponsors – for creating a community of the FNS family.”
Donors and sponsors were amazed at the extent to which their support and philanthropy went, as each was rewarded with a huge mirror certificate that captured their contributions.
The under 8 and over 8 teams were lauded for their outstanding participation in the Dundee mini cricket tournament, and all in all, the young cricketers were the real winners.
The Department of Sport & Recreation’s Jaybalan Mannikam and Mr N Iyavoo from the Inlands Schools Cricket Association were scathing of the state of school cricket and urged parents to do everything to support cricket platforms such as FNS.
Mr N Iyavoo spoke at length of the transformational targets at school, club, regional and national level, and urged parents to persuade the schools of their children to honour these targets.
Mr Sibande from Okhahlamba Municipality supported the need for a team to be taken to the Western Cape Schools Cricket tournaments, where professionalism, merit selection and parental involvement was something to emulate.
The awards started at 10.30am, with a delicious lunch the perfect interlude before its conclusion at 2pm.
Congratulations to Faroek and his team!
Faroek Seedat was in his element when he informed the gathering that the challenges this year merely inspired him and, despite the local criticisms and brick bats, he will continue to help in sports development in a town where this does not exist.
A special thank you to Riga’s Sport & Leisure, Isachem and Sardiwalla Optometrist for sponsoring the trophies, and Print Technique for the certificates.
Not forgetting all the sponsors – without your contribution, the awards would not be possible.
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