Sport for all

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Sport for all

Motivation

You have a problem; - there are too many children in your neighbourhood who are not kept busy through sport, play and recreational activities, and therefore might resort to mischief. Therefore these children are missing a lot of mastering skills, joyful experiences, learning ethics, discipline and leadership that should have prepared them for adulthood in the community.

You may ask: Is it possible to start our own club when we have no facilities, no money and no equipment? You may reply that it is impossible. Be aware that your reply is based on your personal experience of how you have seen sports when you grew up. You may see a sports club as a building with an ablution block and a social club surrounded by nice grounds where a paid coach gives instruction to the athletes using nice equipment such as balls and nets.

Tradition

On the other hand, how were the sports activities organised in your grandparents' days in the village? They also taught children and youth at initiation, about hunting and many traditional sport games as well as transferring traditional culture without any paid instructors, - without any sports grounds or buildings. Their emphases were on teaching practical sporting and leadership skills similar to your need in the community today! Who were the instructors? Their "coaches" were the able knowledgeable men and women or volunteers in the community. Those days when you served the community by teaching the young, you were highly respected, you were trusted and your status was enhanced because of the service you rendered the community.

Learn from your forefathers!

Do like them, use what you have available where you live, and build an active sporting environment from your own resources! They believed in utilising the available resources in their locality. Their resource base was local and sustainable and will be sustainable for your club as well. You too should see sport as play and education and a valuable activity in the development of your community in partnership with other organisations.