Mamelodi’s first artificial grass children’s sports court, designed to connect grassroots sport with higher education, officially opened on Tuesday.

The court is a ‘Cruyff Court’ and is part of a project run by the Johan Cruyff Foundation.

The refurbished community sports facility is located at the University of Pretoria Mamelodi Campus and was made possible by local development organisation Rhiza Babuyile, the Johan Cruyff Foundation and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

World Cup legacy

Dr Edwin Smith, manager of campus operations and acting director of the Mamelodi Campus, said the court was originally built in 2010 as part of the FIFA World Cup legacy projects.

Smith said the court had long served as a community sports hub.

”Not everyone will become a star football player, but the court can create opportunity to young people to pursue further studies, and build careers in other fields,” Smith said.

The refurbished court includes a new artificial turf pitch, with synthetic turf brought in from the Netherlands, and reinforced steel fencing.

Nurturing local talent

Local coach Petrus Malobola said the court had operated for years and produced players such as Banyana Banyana star Hildah Magaia, who trained there when she was younger.

Malobola said the refurbished court would draw more talented footballers to play soccer at the Mamelodi campus, adding that the pitch had been extended from 24m to 36m.

Bongani Motsapi, first vice-president of the Tshwane Regional Football Association, recalled seeing Magaia train at the court when she was younger.

Motsapi said the sports facility meant a lot to him and the community at large.

Malobola said: ”We are not only training young people to play soccer, but we also help them get access to the university and other opportunities.”

Safe spaces for youth

The court hosts structured after-school football sessions for players from U11 to U19 levels.

The director of Rhiza in the Netherlands, Robbert Popken, said the Cruyff Foundation had been committed to creating spaces for children all over the globe to develop physically, mentally and socially through sport for the past 28 years.

Popken said the sports facility initiatives provided a way to engage young people and encourage positive alternatives to social challenges.

”Our sports projects and collaboration with the Johan Cruyff Foundation are important because they give us access to communities and help young people stay away from gangs and violence,” Popken said.

”These places are not just for sport; they are also meeting points for the community,” he said.

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