Noordhoek Football Club has had yet another major setback following a break-in towards the end of last year.
The club’s facilities were broken into and the thieves got away with a television, microwave oven, light projector and groceries.
Club chairperson Joseph Delcarme says he got a call just before midnight about the break-in. “Within three minutes ADT was here but some stuff had been taken already and there was no-one on the scene. We tried to look around for the stuff but we couldn’t get a thing. This is a huge setback for us because we have to use the money that was meant for something else to do the repairs and try replace some of the items. They took the light projector that we use to coach the children and help them watch games so that we can better coach them. It really sets us back. We are appealing to anyone that can help us donate the stuff that we lost to do so as it will help us channel funds to other things that we want to do as a club,” he says.
Despite a bleak start to the year Delcarme says they are looking forward to the new season’s training that is starting in the last week of February. “Everyone is welcome, and we are even welcoming new members. We are happy that through the support of our members we are still standing,” he says.
The club was started in 2009 and they have grown from just two teams to several teams over the years, including a women’s team. “We are proud of what the team has become, and we continue to grow. It has not been easy, especially financially, as we hugely rely on fundraising and subscriptions from members, but we have made it all these years. It has been an uphill, but we have survived and we will continue to survive and keep the club running,” he says.
The club is home to players from areas like Ocean View, Masiphumelele, Fish Hoek, Simon’s Town, Heathfield, Ottery and Kalk Bay to mention a few.“The club has become a home for most. When we started the club our idea was to have a club that will compete in the league and eventually even go onto other bigger leagues. The club is growing, and we are really grateful of the support we get,” says Delcarme.