Boy’s essay shows way to change cricket

Theo van der Westhuizen, 11, pours his heart out in essay about quotas. Picture: Ross Jansen

Theo van der Westhuizen, 11, pours his heart out in essay about quotas. Picture: Ross Jansen

Published Nov 23, 2015

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Cape Town - When Theo van der Westhuizen, 11, wasn’t selected for the Western Province cricket team, he went home confused, and with a heavy heart.

The Grade 5 pupil had worked his way up from his school’s under-11C team to the under-11A team and thought he had provincial colours in the bag.

To his disappointment, he discovered that because he was white, there was no place for him in the team.

His father later explained to him about the quota system and transformation in sport.

Theo went on to write an essay about transformation in sport, entered it into a competition, and won first prize.

Theo submitted his piece of writing to the Radikale Redenaars competition that was open to pupils up to Grade 12, and went on to claim the first prize at the nationals.

In his essay entitled, “The quota system in cricket does more harm than good”, he writes that the quota system in the sport was “wrong at school level, national level and is against the Olympics’ values”.

Theo made it to the final round of the provincial trials but was not one of the 33 players that represented the province.

He said when he returned to school, his friends congratulated him for the essay and he found that two of his classmates finished second and third.

“I learnt that not a lot of people have the same advantages I do, but even if they don’t I don’t believe that there has to be a quota, because it can make them become angry and bitter and lose their love for the sport,” he told the Cape Argus.

Theo suggested two solutions.

His first was that players at all levels, and the cricket-loving public, needed to be educated about the need for transformation.

Second, he said the development of previously disadvantaged players needs to be prioritised. “The practice of sport is a human right and political involvement is not making it easy. I do believe in the need for transformation,” he said on Sunday.

“I know that with practice I will be a good enough player but feel that I can’t hope to play at provincial level because of the quota system in cricket today.

“In the past, a lot of hurt and bitterness was caused by apartheid policies. It seems as if cricket South Africa continues to do the same. I most definitely don’t want to be angry and bitter and lose interest in the game,” Theo wrote in his essay.

Theo’s father, Willie, said the judges thought the topic his son had chosen was too advanced for the 11-year-old.

But when they read his essay they changed their minds.

“I am super proud that he got that far in the competition. The learning that he went through and that I went through was eye-opening,” said Willie.

Both father and son were invited by Cobras cricket chief executive, Nabeal Dien, to discuss Theo’s non-selection.

“I e-mailed Nabeal and I wanted him to tell me what I can tell my 11-year-old son.

“He invited us to Newlands and we spent the whole day in the boardroom looking out at the Newlands pitch and we discussed the quota system.

“I told him that kids know about the quota system and heard about it from their parents and the media but no one teaches them about it. It’s like the brother that’s in jail – everybody knows about him but no one talks about him,” said Willie.

Dien said he explained sport transformation to Theo and was struck by how mature the young boy was. He was also appreciative of Willie’s attitude.

“I plan to ask Theo to read his essay to all the staff at Western Province.

“But I’d also like for Theo to be filmed while reading his essay so that it can be posted on YouTube.

“What he has written is important and needs to be heard by a broader audience.”

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