Sunny skies and a warm ambience were the order of the day in Khayelitsha earlier this week, perfect for the occasion hosted at Umangaliso Primary School.
Sweet Chariot, a UK company specialising in Sports tours, put together an activity filled trip to South Africa for students of the Princethorpe College, a school which is also based in the UK. Part of their travel itinerary included a visit to the Umangaliso Primary School where the Princethorpe College students coached the Umangaliso Primary children for a 2 hour session.
Before the actual coaching got underway, we began the experience with a tour of the classrooms and allowed the Princethorpe students an opportunity to meet and talk to the pupils from Umangaliso. With the interest shown at that moment, it became crystal clear that the day would be a success.
The sport codes on the agenda were namely: rugby, hockey and netball, and as much as the Khayelithsa youngsters were receptive to the brief coaching encounter, they were more enthralled with the manner in which the touring UK students engaged and interacted with them.
For the UK students this experience served as a stark reality check, it highlighted how different things are outside the world they grew up in and are familiar with. Louise Harrison, teacher and tour facilitator at the Princethorpe College, said she was touched by the enthusiasm and passion displayed by the Umangaliso children.
The Sporting Chance team took care of the technical aspect of the coaching by supplying the students with the equipment needed for the day. By the end of the excursion, the scholars from both schools wanted more… For us at Sporting Chance, that means a job well done and we look forward to hosting similar endeavours in the future.
