Last Updated on 41 minutes ago by Charbel Coorey
In 2014, the Gary Kirsten Foundation was launched with the objective of providing access to sporting opportunities for under-privileged kids in South Africa.
The Foundation, now named Catch Trust, is something Kirsten speaks with great pride to this day. In his true humble style, Kirsten said the Foundation was renamed as “it had progressed to a significant level to be limited just to my name.”
Over the last decade, the Catch Trust has given kids opportunities to play sport in low-income areas where lack of facilities can significantly impact development. Now, the trust has expanded to facilities in five schools, and has a Centre of Cricket Excellence in Khayelitsha. There was also a UK tour in 2019.
Amazing what talent exists in South Africa – Gary Kirsten on the Catch Trust
Kirsten feels he has the responsibility of giving back to a game that gave him so much. He was motivated to see how cricket operates throughout South Africa, which led him to launching the Foundation.
“I think the game has given me a lot. You know, I’ve been a professional in the game since I was 19. I’m now 58. So that’s nearly 40 years. So it’s given me a lot,” Kirsten told CricBlog.
“It’s [cricket] a national sport in South Africa, and there’s a lot of people that don’t have access to the game because of their circumstances where they live, social circumstances they involved in, the fact that cricket probably hasn’t really been introduced in that space.
“But when you create the opportunity, it’s amazing what talent actually does exist. So I think that was the motivation behind setting it up.”
Kirsten had a superb career, scoring 7,289 Test runs at 45.27 and 6,798 ODI runs at 40.95. He also struck 16,670 First Class runs at 48.31 and 9,586 List A runs at 36.58.
Like his days as a player, the Catch Trust holds a special place in Kirsten’s heart. Kirsten’s stature and his playing days motivated him to give youngsters the opportunity to achieve through sport.
“Oh, it’s a difficult one,” Kirsten said when asked whether his days as a player or the Catch Trust is more fulfilling.
“I was a player for 17 years, been a coach for well into 22, 23 years. This project that we’ve been running for now the last 12 years, they all have a place in my life one way or another, so I wouldn’t say one was more special than the others.
“I think for me, this project with the Trust certainly has a lot of meaning behind it, and purpose behind it. And you can certainly see the benefits of what we’ve tried to create. So that’s pretty exciting.
“But, I’m not on this mission to create these kind of things and make them work so that I can get the accolades behind it. I’m really not. It’s more it just pricked my conscience, you know, just to think I’ve been given so much as a cricketer. Because I had wonderful opportunities, so try and create some opportunities for others.”
Today, the Catch Trust continues to provide safe, accessible and high-quality facilities to those in low-income who may not have otherwise had the access. The Trust also trains coaches so they can develop talent throughout South Africa, all while keeping kids occupied with cricket.
