Cardiff Dragons Korfball Club

Thanks to our PR team we managed to get in the Echo at their website walesonline.co.uk

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sports/sports-news-round-up/2009/08/26/korfball-cardiff-event-is-big-success-91466-24529600/

Training starts back at Western Leisure Centre 6.30=8.30 on Thursday this week.

It’s the same excellent venue as last year.

Cardiff Korfball tournament a success

Twenty teams competed in Cardiff’s annual korfball tournament at Cardiff Rugby Club last weekend (Saturday 22 August).

South London-based team, Wildcats, won the tournament, beating off teams from all over the UK including seven Cardiff teams, Gloucester, Highbury, Bec, Manchester and Bristol.

Kate Saunders took part in the tournament and organised the event. She said: “This year we had more than 100 people playing korfball outdoors and it was a really succesdful event. The standard was high and we some great support from the side-lines.

“We’ll be hosting the event again next year and want to encourage as many people to come along and find out more about korfball and we’re developing the sport as much as we can.

“The best thing about korfball is that you don’t need to know the rules to start with – you can just join in and learn as you go. It’s a good way to keep fit and meet new people.”

Cardiff Dragons and Cardiff City organised the tournament which is now in its fourth year.

Korfball is a Dutch sport that is growing in Wales. It is played by men and women on mixed teams and combines elements of basketball and netball.

For more information about korfball, contact Sian Hunt on sian_hunt@yahoo.co.uk

Double boost for Welsh korfball

Cardiff Dragons Korfball Club has received a double boost after securing sponsorship from Cardiff-based flooring company, Westco, which has been match-funded by the Sports Council for Wales.

The leading laminate and wood flooring firm has sponsored the club’s kit for the 2009-2010 season for £400, and the club will receive a further £400 from Sportsmatch Cymru to support the club’s drive to attract new players to the club.

Nick Gibbs, managing director of Westco, said, “As a long-established Cardiff firm, Westco is keen to support organisations in the local community.

“We’d not heard of korfball before but we thought it would be a good opportunity to get involved with a sport that’s fast-growing and attracting many new players around Cardiff. We’re going to get some of staff playing too!”

Sian Hunt, chair of Cardiff Dragons Korfball Club, said, “We’re really grateful to Westco for their support of the club and are really pleased this has been match-funded by the Sports Council to help us attract new players to try korfball.

“The funds have given Cardiff Dragons a real boost and will mean we can continue to grow the club and ensure that korfball remains alive and kicking in Wales! We’re always looking for new players who can join us at Howells School on a Tuesday night for outdoor training over the summer.”

Based on Penarth Road in Cardiff, Westco supplies flooring and accessories to large DIY stores and independent flooring retailers. The company currently employs 50 staff in customer and product support, manufacturing, design and sales.

Sportsmatch Cymru is a Welsh Assembly Government business incentive scheme for sport in Wales, managed by the Sports Council for Wales. It is designed to encourage more business backing for grassroots sport by matching new or additional sponsorship pound-for-pound.

Chair of the Sports Council for Wales, Philip Carling, said, “Businesses in Wales play a huge part in the sporting success of our nation and we can only continue to excel if we invest in tomorrow’s champions now.

“In return, sports sponsorship offers businesses the opportunity to achieve commercial marketing objectives by raising brand awareness and increasing customer loyalty.”

Just a quick note – we’ve now been spnsored by Westco!!

We’ll be doing a team pic in our new strips next Tuesday, (28th July).

Sian’s going to drop a note out with more details!!

Cheers Magnus

Just a reminder that the 2009 Korfball School of Excellence course tkes place this summer at the National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace from Sunday 26th July to Wednesday 29th July 2009.

The course will be led by IKF and former Belgian coach Rudy Ramaekers assistant by Belgian athletics coach Patrick Bosschaert, assisted by England Juniors coaches Peter Teague and Danny Miles

The SOE course is a rare opportunity for players to work with one of the sport’s most successful coaches and will be focused on the development of individual Korfball technical and athletic skills

Places on the course can be booked by contacting Steve Barker via email afm.sports@btinternet.com or telephone 02081334207

Can all players, coaches and club officials help ensure that players are aware of this opportunity via your email newsletters, web sites and other club or association channels

Please contact me for more information or for the SOE pdf flyer

The Cardiff Korfball Tournament is back and better than ever.

We have a new venue this year to accommodate our ever growing tournament but will still be providing 5 pitches, running the popular long shot competition and offering a BBQ and soft drinks to purchase on the day with bacon sandwiches available on arrival.

Our social for the evening will be on the same site with camping available on-site as well. Please let us know in advance if you would like to camp.

Entry Fee is £35 with a £5 reduction if you pay before 15th July.

Date: 22 August 2009   
Time: 09:00 – 18:00   
Location: Cardiff HSOB RFC, Whitchurch, Cardiff 

For more information email ksaundo@hotmail.com

Have a look here for details:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=89098098483

On 20th April, our beloved chair, Sian, plus Stuart Wood, Chair of Cardiff City took part in the Monday Night Sport Phone-in show talking about Korfball in South Wales.

In the regional championships, which pitted the best teams from the Welsh, South West and Oxfordshire regions, with the top 2 teams qualifying for the national champions trophy that decides qualification for the National League, Cardiff Dragons left it to the last match to secure their qualification.

Dragons started off with a tight 3-3 draw against local rivals, Cardiff City, before kicking in to form with a comfortable win over South West champions, Exeter. Possibly getting a little complacent, Dragons then produced their worst performance of the day in losing to Horfield, the only points the Bristol team gained. This meant that Dragons final match, against Oxford Isis had to be won.

As the match started it seemed clear that Isis had 3 or 4 very strong players, but that overall Dragons had a better team and we were able to build a small lead. However, we were never able to move ahead enough to relax, and it was a huge relief when the final whistle went and we claimed a 6-4 victory.

Overall, in an impressive result for Welsh korfball, both Cardiff City and Dragons qualify to play on the weekend of May 9th-10th in Norwich in the Champions Trophy. The other participating teams will be Birmingham City and Manchester Warriors from the CEKL region, Nomads and Tornadoes from South East England and Croydon and Norwich Knights as the bottom 2 teams from the National League. While this is likely to be the highest calibre opposition that Dragons have faced in our short history, we’re confident we can put up a good show and maybe grab a couple of wins.