The Masiphumelele Rugby Football Club (Masi RFC) had humble beginnings; it began as a small social club with little equipment, no coach and no home pitch.
There were also just a few players, but now the Masi RFC boasts two home pitches in Noordhoek, several teams a small club-house and an official place in the Western Province Saturday League next season.
The team members are 100% passionate about, and committed to, the club, and with the help of local residents who assisted with the club’s fundraising activities it has enjoyed growing support and success.
Masi RFC represents the Southern Peninsula and actively supports the development of rugby for all communities in the area. The community has responded to the club with encouragement and support; the increasing crowds gathered at the new grounds every week are testament to the Masi RFC’s popularity.
A range of sponsors have made the success of the small-time club a reality; the City of Cape Town awarded it use of the pitches, and SAQ and Amabokoboko provide the players with much-needed equipment and coaching.
The non-profit organisation Goodsport Trust is also providing coaching and equipment to various schools in Masiphumelele Township. The whole idea is to encourage a new generation of rugby enthusiasts.
As the teams continue to expand Masi RFC is seeking sponsorship for the erection of a new club-house and two new pitches. Last year Café Roux hosted the inaugural Annual Masi RFC Awards Ceremony in an attempt to raise funds for future developments.
At the awards ceremony Edwin Fellows was named the “Club Man of the Year”, Phumzile ‘Saba’ Siswanna received the “Most improved player award” and the “Player of the Year Award” was received by Anga Mika.
The players train twice a week at the Noordhoek sports field from 6pm to 8:30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. All players are welcome so if you think you’ve got some fancy-footwork you want to show off contact Patrick Dierhoff (coach) on 073 278 0543 or Darren Clarke on 082 081 3429. Otherwise you could take some time out to go watch the team play a few matches.
Jade Scully is a copywriter excited about writing copy and stories, blogging about the world and editing. She currently and regularly publishes her stories on a number of blogs. Jade loves animals and hopes to begin writing copy for the animal rescue charity TEARS as her contribution to the cause.
