The Emerald Resort & Casino, in Vanderbijlpark, is soccer-mad – and thousands of children in its surrounding communities will be learning the Beautiful Game these December holidays.

The Holiday Coaching Programme, facilitated by the Aaron Mokoena Foundation and sponsored by the Emerald Resort & Casino, will be delivered by 6 coaches who will target 180 children in two coaching sessions per day. More than 1 800 children will be engaged during this holiday’s programme.

The Aaron Mokoena Foundation, led by Bafana Bafana’s captain, was launched at the Emerald Resort & Casino on 28 May 2009. This initiative is part of the Emerald Resort & Casino’s comprehensive local community development programme, that also includes welfare and socio-economic development.

School kids with their role models

Future Bafana Bafana players getting the basics right

“Sport is a key driver for discipline, motivation and positive social development in our local communities in the Vaal area, in which we operate,” says Emerald Resort & Casino CEO Martin Rice. “Further synergies have also been created as this programme will run with the 2010 World Cup, supporting and developing children in a sustainable, positive way.”

He adds that the Emerald Resort & Casino is committed to growing football, and shares a passion and vision with the Aaron Makoena Foundation that extends beyond 2010: “Raising the profile of football development and nurturing young talent will deliver tomorrow’s heroes on the pitch.”

The foundation comprises two specific coaching programmes: the Holiday Coaching Programme and the After School Programme, that is initially focused on six schools – four primary and two secondary schools – in Boipatong.

The After School Programme runs over 36 weeks annually. It encompasses two sessions per week in each of the schools, with a minimum of 60 children – both boys and girls – per school per week.

The After School Programme is delivered by three coaches per school, and will engage more than 2 000 young people annually.

The Aaron Mokoena Foundation was launched in grand style at Emerald Casino Resort on Thursday, 28 May 2009, with over R100 000 raised for his sports development initiative during a charity auction of soccer memorabilia.

During the auction, a Blackburn Rovers shirt worn by Mokoena was bought by the Sedibeng District Municipality for a whopping R62 000. Other shirts, worn by the likes of Ryan Giggs (Manchester United), Benni McCarthy and El Hadji Diouf (Rovers), Robinho (Manchester City) and Michael Essien (Chelsea), fetched between R3 500 and R10 000 apiece, while a pair of Mokoena’s boots was snapped up for R7 500. Continue Reading

I was quite impressed to learn that Aaron Mokoena, the South African international who plays for Blackburn Rovers Continue Reading