Get into Action. Get into KFC Mini-Cricket

Earlier today, Cricket South Africa (CSA) and KFC launched the ‘Get into Action. Get into KFC Mini-Cricket.’ campaign at the Gauteng KFC Mini-Cricket festival held at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium.

The festival marked the start of KFC’s second year as the proud sponsor of KFC Mini-Cricket. Proteas players Hashim Amla, Morne Morkel, and Imran Tahir as well as KFC Mini-Cricket ambassador Trisha Chetty of the national women’s team were on hand to pledge their support for the campaign.

“We are immensely proud of our involvement with KFC Mini-Cricket and what we have achieved in the first year of our sponsorship. In 2010, we began a partnership with CSA with one target - to build the mini-cricket programme and get more children active. More than 85 000 children are involved in KFC Mini-Cricket. In 2011, we aim to get even more children active and leading a balanced lifestyle through our ‘Get into Action. Get into KFC Mini-Cricket.’ campaign,” commented Dave Timm, Chief Marketing Officer of KFC.



There are just under 6 000 coaches and 3 500 schools active in the KFC Mini-Cricket programme, a number which both CSA and KFC will be looking at expanding significantly in the coming season.

“We have set ourselves the target of growing these numbers by 10% in the second year of KFC’s sponsorship. The ‘Get into Action. Get into KFC Mini-Cricket.’ campaign will help us find new schools and coaches needed to meet our growth targets. We also need to ensure that we maintain and improve the quality of the cricket played by the children,” added Niels Momberg, Youth Cricket Manager at CSA.

On the ground, the campaign will see 10 000 children actively participating at KFC Mini-Cricket festivals throughout the country from now until March next year. KFC will be activating their inflatable KFC Action Zones at all the festivals, which allow the children to test their cricket skills in fun and exciting ways.



KFC, in partnership with CSA, are also taking the KFC Action Zones to Ster-Kinekor cinemas nationwide to introduce the programme to children that may not have been exposed to KFC Mini-Cricket before. There will also be KFC Mini-Cricket festivals at the test matches against Australia and Sri Lanka, where the ‘Get into Action. Get into KFC Mini-Cricket.’ campaign message will be communicated to the crowds.



To support these activities, KFC has a full above-the-line campaign which will see a call for new schools and coaches communicated on TV, radio, in print, and through outdoor channels.



“KFC and CSA want to grow the KFC Mini-Cricket programme by 10% and make sure we get as many children leading active and balanced lifestyles while participating in a programme where non-competitive fun is the aim of the game,” said Timm.



CSA and KFC have been on a national road show to all provinces to communicate the growth plan to KFC Mini-Cricket’s provincial stakeholders and to discuss how to get additional schools and coaches to join the programme.

“Coaches are vital to the planned growth of KFC Mini-Cricket. We are very fortunate to have just under 6 000 volunteer coaches who generously give their time and skills to ensure that KFC Mini-Cricket is a 365 day obsession. We invite more schools to join the programme so we can bring fun and an active and balanced lifestyle to even more children,” added Momberg.



To broaden the intake for KFC Mini-Cricket, CSA has expanded the programme to include pre-schoolers, differently abled children, and increased the age group for girls to the age of 13. CSA also plans to support government’s rural development programme which will take KFC Mini-Cricket to more of South Africa’s rural areas.



“Everybody needs an introduction into a particular sport and we couldn’t ask for a better way in cricket than to be involved in KFC Mini-Cricket. The tireless efforts of the coaches is to be commended and in my career I am certainly indebted to their numerous sacrifices,” added Hashim Amla.



Proteas who started playing mini-cricket include AlbieMorkel, HashimAmla, and Jacques Kallis as well as national women’s team members such as Trisha Chetty and Shabnim Ismail.



AB de Villiers, Makhaya Ntini, and Trisha Chetty will continue their role as ambassadors for KFC Mini-Cricket this season. They will be instrumental in adding their weight and enthusiasm to the campaign.