SA Schools Netball joins the popular classic clashes
As from this year, First National Bank will include Netball as part of their Classic
Clash sponsorship.
Netball is said to be South Africa’s second most popular sport, with a world ranking
of 7th by the International Netball Federation (INF); out of 22 countries.
With sponsorship of the FNB Netball Classic Clashes, the bank will give school girls
around the country an opportunity to gain opportunities of recognition, as the sport
of Netball continues to gain global momentum. Netball received Olympic sport recognition
in 1995.
FNB Head of Sponsorships Francois Pienaar says the bank’s decision to focus also
on ground-roots netball will compliment the popular rugby and soccer classic clash
sponsorships initiative.
Pienaar says from 2009 the FNB Netball Classic Clashes will have over 400 girls
from 40 schools participating in 20 matches from April to August, with a sponsorship
of R600 000.
He says FNB recognized how Netball has always been close to the hearts of many school
girls, parents and grandparents in South Africa.
"We are proud of the results that our Netball National team has in the international
arena and the time has come for FNB – in line with our brand value of being a Proudly
South African Bank – to give netball our support."
"School sports are the breeding grounds for the next generation of national
players and leaders in many countries. This is because of the discipline and dedication
that a sportsman or woman requires to excel. We are really proud to think that we’ll
have a hand in helping junior talent to develop," Pienaar says.
Since 2001 FNB has been supporting the Classic Clashes which, until now, were traditionally
rugby clashes between prominent rugby playing schools throughout the country. The
games have cemented ties between FNB and competing schools, parents, old boys, and
other rugby enthusiasts.
"Our rugby involvement at school and university level has been prominent around
the country. Now we’re taking it a step further and giving the netball community
at schools much more concrete support to develop both the rugby and netball sport
that we all enjoy so much," concludes Pienaar.