Connect Festival of Unity kicks off! 2,500 young athletes compete over 6 days
The athletes from South Africa and the UK are offered more than just a chance to compete, they're given a chance to grow.
File: Picture: Pexels
CapeTalk's Lester Kiewit speaks to Murray Ingram, Founder of Connect Academy.
Listen below:
The Connect Festival of Unity where various sports are played in different venues across Cape Town, commences today and runs until 19 July.
The Connect Festival of Unity brings together 2,500 young athletes from South Africa and the UK, offering them more than just a chance to compete, it gives them a chance to grow.
Whether they come from township fields or elite academies, every player learns the values of teamwork, discipline, cultural exchange, and leadership.
By bridging the gap between under-resourced and well-supported schools, the festival creates equal opportunities for all.
The festival is also an opportunity to raise funds for sports development for youth in the programme while giving kids access to sports opportunities.
The Connect Academy, established in 2014 in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, is a sports academy focused on providing opportunities and resources to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The academy has seen its participants achieve success on both national and international stages, with some becoming professional rugby, hockey, and netball players.
One notable example is a player who began playing professionally with Montpellier in France in 2023.
"I'm always trying to champion sport for the kids who really don't get access to these opportunities. The real idea is to drive sport development for kids outside the premier A, premier B schools..."
- Murray Ingram, Founder - Connect Academy
"We see ourselves as a job creator too, we've got a coach development pathway as well so that's one of our big success stories. And again, just access to actually playing at venues and the opportunities for culture and social interactions... It's a holistic developmental process and mostly, it's long-term and sustainable."
- Murray Ingram, Founder - Connect Academy
To support the Connect Festival of Unity, purchase tickets for any fixtures taking place this week:
- Monday 14 July – Hockey @ Hartleyvale Stadium
- Tuesday 15 July – Rugby @ Jan Burger & Jan van Riebeeck | Netball @ UCT
- Wednesday 16 July – Hockey @ Hartleyvale Stadium
- Thursday 17 July – Rugby @ Jan Burger & Jan van Riebeeck | Netball @ Jan van Riebeeck
- Friday 18 July – Hockey @ Hartleyvale Stadium
- Saturday 19 July – Rugby @ Jan Burger | Netball @ UCT
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.