LETTER FROM CSA PRESIDENT KIM POPLE – JANUARY 2018
Dear paddling community, parents, race organisers and officials.
In light of recent events, Canoeing South Africa (CSA) would like to take this opportunity to provide further insight into the inner workings of the development structures that operate in the Federation, Unions and at Club level.
CSA receives funding from the government through the National Sport and Recreation department, and when we get lucky via a National Lottery grant. These funds are controlled and monitored and in recent years have only been earmarked for development programmes. We do apply for High Performance funding every year and hope for a breakthrough at some point!
There are currently over 20 official development initiatives throughout our 5 Canoeing Unions. They submit monthly reports to CSA and in return are able to access this government funding.
The money is divided amongst the 5 Unions according to their registered and reporting development numbers.
This typically covers:
• Race participation (travel, food and entry fees)
• Coaching fees
• Training Camps
• Equipment
The Unions are also able to apply for funding from their local government sporting departments, as well as apply to Lotto directly for certain localised projects.
In recent years KNCU and WCCU have been successful in this regard and its made a huge difference to their development programmes.
Each club is also permitted to apply for their own Lotto funding and search for local sponsors. Once again, some clubs around the country have also been successful of late.
Other sources of sponsorship have come in the form of partnerships with corporate and individual sponsors as well as award-winning recipients. Our small yet successful sport has been in the spotlight of late in the Annual Jack Cheetham Awards. Previous winners include clubs Lembethe (KNCU), Paarl (WCCU), Umzinyathi (KNCU), and 2017 runners up – Stanford (WCCU).
The hard work and dedication of all roleplayers in this multi-layered approach to funding ensures that we keep the programmes running with NO COST to you the paddler.
This past season we have taken a step towards ensuring that all development paddlers pay full race entry fees, to ensure that we as a sport have a sustainable income revenue for race organisers/clubs/Unions.
We pride ourselves on running a transparent and simple process whereby those who cannot afford the sport have access to the basics.
We will continue to work with race organisers in this regard.
Our aim for the new season is to work on developing the sport amongst our youngest – growing school’s league races and supporting those paddlers trying to make Junior and U23 National teams.
We realise the importance of sport in transforming lives – canoeing has enjoyed many successes, and we have many stories to share in this regard.
Our 2018 focus is the #newaveofwinners #kidsinsport
For more information you are welcome to connect with our National Development Coordinator – Janet Simpkins on 083 288 0091 or dev@canoesa.org.za.
Keep up to date with what is happening from a development point of view on social media:
Twitter – @CanoeDevSA
Instagram – @canoedevsa.
Kim Pople
CSA President
Development Contacts
| Union | Name | Contact | Email Address |
| CSA National Development Coordinator | Janet Simpkins | 083 288 0091 | dev@canoesa.org.za |
| CDCU | Janet Simpkins | 083 288 0091 | dev@canoesa.org.za |
| ECCU | Dave Louw | 082 722 2345 | davelouw54@gmail.com |
| GCU | Janet Simpkins | 083 288 0091 | dev@canoesa.org.za |
| KNCU | Thulani Mbanjwa | 078 103 5196 | mikembanjwa@gmail.com |
| WCCU | Wayne August | 073 992 1103 | wayneaugustcoaching@gmail.com |