On March 10 EduSport Coaching Academy and The Cove, a local youth development center located near the Nahoon Dam, launched a newly finished rugby field intended to boost the development of rugby in far-flung areas.
Spearheaded by founder and director of EduSport Jono Kruger and Tiger Mangweni, the Dyl Swartz Field will be used to host tournaments, coaching, festivals, and rugby camps for players across the Border region.
The arduous work on the field began in 2020 with the sacrificial efforts, contributions, and continued maintenance from resident trustees Roger Tutt and Rory Bryson Clark.
It involved a mammoth earth-moving effort by Riegers Plant Hire Group to turn the initial sloped area into a field and poles were generously donated by Red Alert.
Named in honor of the former avid Blue Bulls fan and assistant coach of the Selborne u16 team, Dylan Swartz, the field attempts to provide players from disenfranchised areas with the opportunity to play in a conducive environment.
“What fuels our program is that only 5% of public schools in SA have access to rugby facilities, Kruger said. “We endeavor to bring coaching to those who don’t have the privilege of receiving adequate opportunities to develop their skills.
“We aim to use the field for the development of rugby in underserved communities, especially in Mdantsane and surrounding areas.
“Border Rugby used to have good development structures. Tiger Mangweni was a product of those structures and processes.
“We wish to use the field and our EduSport Coaching Academy as a means of re-establishing some development structures in Mdantsane and beyond.”
The launch of the field was supported by schools and clubs across the metro with boys’ and girls’ teams including Selborne College, Wongalethu High, Nyameko High, Mdantsane Hurricanes, Lions, and Durban’s Liv Vilage.
Liv Village, a place of safety for vulnerable youth, is one of the only other youth-focused programs in the country that use sport as a means to bridge social inequalities. Head of rugby at Liv Village Jared Stanford said: “We are excited to see what the field holds for the development of rugby in the future.
“Our own field at Liv Village also serves as a hub for development for the surrounding communities so we know what good is possible when fields like this are made available for surrounding areas to use.
“At Liv Village, we have seen a few boys go to the Sharks academy and this field will enable players to possibly make it at a professional sporting level.”
For information about Liv Village visit: https://www.liv-village.com/ and to find out more about the Dyl Swartz Field contact Jono Kruger at: jono@sportforlives.org
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