It has already been a busy year for Ross McCreath, St Andrew’s pupil and founder of the Bathurst youth cricket club, the Tiger Titans. Ross recently returned from his second trip to London and has been
shortlisted for, among others, the 2010 Murray & Roberts Jack Cheetham Memorial Award for which he was a runner-up in 2008.
It has already been a busy year for Ross McCreath, St Andrew’s pupil and founder of the Bathurst youth cricket club, the Tiger Titans. Ross recently returned from his second trip to London and has been
shortlisted for, among others, the 2010 Murray & Roberts Jack Cheetham Memorial Award for which he was a runner-up in 2008.
Five projects have been shortlisted for the 2010 award, which was initiated by Murray & Roberts 26 years ago in recognition of the special qualities of Jack Cheetham, a former director of the company and the inspirational captain of the South African cricket team in the 50s.
In recent years, the award has targeted sports development projects, focusing on individuals or teams that have the potential to be champions.
The overall winning project received a total of R500 000 payable over five years. The function takes place on 28 October and Ross was interviewed for the award in Johannesburg yesterday.
Ross has also been shortlisted for the African Leadership Academy prize for young leaders, which honour future African leaders and the communities who support them.
This honours 14 to 18-yearold Africans who have solved a pressing community problem. The winner walks away with a cash prize for the project as well as for themselves.
Ross was invited to a sod turning ceremony in East London where Protea cricketer Makhaya Ntini’s cricket academy was launched yesterday.
Seeing as Ross was in Johannesburg, Tiger Titans coach Duzi Mkalipi attended the function on his behalf. Ross recently returned from London where he received an award at Buckingham Palace presented to him by Prince Edward and Peter Cruddas.
The Peter Cruddas Foundation Social Innovation Initiative award recognises social innovations who are individuals who identified fundamental need in their society and have committed themselves to developing new and innovative solutions to help illeviate the problem.
While in London for the award, Ross took part in a three day workshop on social innovation. Ross has also been invited to Chicago for the Beyond Sport summit, which he was invited to by former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, but seeing as he needs to cover the expenses of the trip and has a number of award ceremonies to attend in South Africa, he will be unable to make it.
As for the Tiger Titans, the club has been invited to take part in the Knysna Cricket Festival from 30 September to 3 October.
A group of 12 boys and their coach will travel to Knysna and as a test run for the cricket festival, the Tiger Titans will take part in a 20/20 tournament at Port Alfred High School on Heritage Day.
Of the 55 kids in the Tiger Titans, 33 (who make the age cut-off) are currently enrolled in the President’s Award, and are currently working to complete the bronze medal award.
The Titans are made up of young people from the impoverished Nolukanye township near Bathurst. Other than being busy with various community projects, the group will head off to Hogsback in November for the expedition part of the President’s Award.
