Sport captures the South African imagination like few things can. It extends from the excitement of the Soweto derby to the ‘gees’ of a North-South rugby clash to the euphoria of one of the greatest cricket games ever between The Proteas and Australia at The Wanderers. Yet even with that, many of South Africa’s children are not exposed to sport.
Although Sporting Chance started off with coaching clinics in the more affluent market, it soon became clear that if we were to fully live out our vision, that of giving the children of South Africa a sporting chance, we would need to reach further and do more.
Many of the children we work with do not have adequate facilities at their schools and clubs. With Physical Education not a regular feature in the current curriculum, that (the need for facilities), has fallen on the wayside, to the disadvantage of our young ones. Where, or how, will talent be unearthed if children are not exposed to sport and are not given the chance to play sport? We don’t have all the answers, but we have to start somewhere.
Sporting Chance runs Physical Education classes as part of the Life Orientation curriculum at seven primary schools in Langa and Khayelitsha. We are privileged to have the respective schools’ consent to do this. It is a privilege, yes, because it allows us to work with our children, and there are few things as satisfying as seeing them fully engaged in sporting activities, even if for an hour or two per week.
We work with whatever facilities we have in the hope that as time as goes on we may be able to offer them something more. We take them as they are in the belief that with the correct coaching, their raw and natural talent will outshine the circumstances.
When sport captures the adult mind as much as it does in this country, should we not be giving our children that same opportunity?