First Curro Cup Festival promises tons of fun
09 December 2022It’s never been done before! Approximately 3 000 players will have the opportunity to showcase their talent, be developed into the future sports stars of our country and ensure that they all make a difference. Curro Sport is determined to put a stamp on the school sports world that will not go unnoticed!
With Curro’s 25th birthday around the corner, it’s taken a whole team of staff members to put this amazing event together – with Raymond van Niekerk, head of community engagement at St Dominics Newcastle acting as the festival director.
‘At first this festival felt like an enormous mountain lying in front of me, but then I thought of the incredible journey it would be to summit this mountain. I think that as staff members of the Curro group we are truly blessed to be part of a company which is determined to set the pace in the educational sector of South Africa. We need to embrace this wonderful opportunity where we can create a platform for our learners to be part of a remarkable sports festival, which will host hockey, rugby, netball and soccer all at the same venue!’ shares Raymond.
‘We believe that this will allow us to unify the sports departments of Curro schools and we shall summit this mountain together as a group. The outlook from the peak will be an amazing image of Curro schools from all over southern Africa uniting as one. Whilst schools will be competing against one another to reap the rewards of the months of preparation in the build-up to this event, everlasting memories will be created of camaraderie and friendships among the players and staff of the Curro family.’
Now, with a festival of this magnitude, finding a suitable venue can prove challenging, but it is exciting to think that in June 2023, schools will be able to get together at one venue in a small South African town and make history – hello, Potchefstroom! ‘Our biggest challenge as the Curro Sport executive committee is to ensure that we utilise these world-class facilities of the North-West University to host a festival which has the best match officials South Africa has to offer, that we tolerate nothing less but pure sportsmanship when it comes to fair play and also that we ensure that every player is treated professionally. We are ready for this challenge and will strive for excellence!’ says Raymond.
North-West University has been selected as the venue due to the world-class facilities they boast. Multiple sports fields will be used at once which will create a vibe which will take us back to the exciting times in 2010 when South Africa hosted the Soccer World Cup. Supporters, players and staff will all be at one venue, cheering for their peers, all celebrating sport together! (Have a look at the facilities here.)
The festival will consist of a primary school event from 15 to 20 June 2023 and a high school event from 21 to 26 June 2023. Raymond and his team are so excited for this and what it could mean for Curro. ‘I don’t know Potchefstroom well at all, but I can assure you that once this festival is over, the whole of southern Africa will know Curro! A festival of this magnitude would never be possible without support from the executive members of Curro, the executive heads of the schools and a dedicated team of sports staff.’
‘At this festival teams will be exposed to competitive competition, truly determine whether they have what it takes to beat the best and also bond as a team. This is where everlasting friendships are made and your school career will be cherished forever!’