The event was a great success with 3000 children from the surrounding communities taking part in the weekend’s challenge and getting involved in a variety of different sports codes as well as being put through their Health of the Nation fitness testing.

Radio partner SAfm broadcasted live on Friday and Saturday and current Mr. South Africa, Adriaan Bergh and music icon ‘AKA’ attended the launch and put themselves through the Health of the Nation testing with some awe inspiting results.

Hip hop star Moki from kolproduk came to close the event on Sunday and his show was well received by all.

With special thanks to our title sponsors Kellogg’s; associate sponsors Virgin Active and KIA Motors; media partner SuperSport Let’s Play and radio partner SAfm and the City of Joburg for their continued support of this groundbreaking project.

50 Hour youth sports challenge is fact finding as well as fun

Over 3 000 schoolchildren from communities throughout Gauteng  will be doing more than keeping a ball in motion at the sixth annual Kellogg’s® Health of the Nation 50-Hour Sports Challenge, taking place at the Southern Suburbs Recreation Centre in Rosettenville from Friday 28 until Sunday 30 October.  The young participants will feature in important field research, which will provide information on the state of fitness and obesity in South African school children.

The Kellogg’s® Health of the Nation 50-Hour Sports Challenge, in association with Sporting Chance is the largest sporting event of its kind in the country.  Children partake in up to 15 different indoor and outdoor sporting disciplines over the course of the three days.  The participating children are exposed to a huge variety of sports, including cricket, tennis, hockey, rounders, table tennis, badminton, netball, basketball, soccer, squash, rope skipping, athletics and touch rugby.

This year, behind all the fun and games of this annual sporting extravaganza is a serious fact-finding study, a 10-year follow-up to the original ground-breaking Health of the Nation study1, which first revealed the magnitude of obesity in South African children. The resulting information and statistics will assist health and education policy makers to gauge where we are, so that they can continue steering SA youth towards healthier lifestyles.

According to Brad Bing of Sporting Chance, the youth sports development agency that conceived and coordinates the Challenge and study, while there is plenty of academic research available on adult obesity, there is a lack of current information on how the prevalence of obesity relates to children’s health and fitness in South Africa.  The 2011 study will assess the fitness and health of a large sample of youth ages nine through 13.

“Every child who participates in this year’s Challenge will first complete a fitness test,” says Bing.  “Testing personnel will measure   height, weight, waist and hip circumference, which will provide crucial statistics on the prevalence of obesity and body weight distribution. Then, children will engage in a series of exercises designed to assess flexibility, abdominal muscle strength, lower and upper body strength and agility.  These include:  sit and reach, sit-ups, standing long jump, shuttle test and a cricket ball throw.”
In 2004, data collected by Sporting Chance in conjunction with the UCT/MRC Research Unit for Exercise Science at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa indicated that nationwide, children from all backgrounds showed a tendency towards the onset of obesity similar to that seen in developed countries.

“The genesis of the Challenge was the 2004 study, which revealed the shocking truth about South African children,” says Bing.  “We found that a large percentage of our children were already looking at probable health problems due to obesity.  It was obvious that we needed to kick-start an awareness of the importance of exercise and living a healthy lifestyle, which we hoped would grow into a passion for sport and physical activity.”
There are many reasons why South African youth are fighting the bulge. Youth are less active because physical education is no longer compulsory at schools, and at home, exercise has been largely replaced by TV and computer time.  Parents, teachers and peers are not always encouraging of physical activity.  Other crucial elements are directly related to crime and poor socio-economic conditions:  facilities and equipment are not always available or safe, street crime largely prevents children from walking and cycling to and from school, and from playing outside in their own neighbourhoods.

According to biokineticist Nicky Sulzer, who is overseeing the research:  “Research conducted on South African school children has shown that the implications of childhood obesity are truly shocking, with 25% of obese children presenting two or more cardiovascular risk factors.  Numerous studies have shown that physical activity has the potential to be a powerful ‘agent of change’ in the prevention and management of obesity, and getting kids moving is the aim of the Challenge.”

Besides giving kids the chance to play new and unfamiliar sports under enthusiastic coaches, the Challenge provides an opportunity to spot new talent, according to Bing.  Many accomplished sportsmen have benefited from the Sporting Chance coaching programmes and events, like current England International cricketer Craig Kieswetter; Lions captain Thami Tsolekile and former rugby Springbok Neil de Kock.

“Over the past five years the Challenge has grown exponentially,” says Sarah Mansfield, corporate spokesperson for the Kellogg Company of South Africa. “In addition to teaching and showing learners how to be physically active on the field, it’s also important to empower South African children to make healthy lifestyle choices off the field.

“In this light, in the weeks leading up to the Challenge, Sporting Chance hosts pre-Challenge road shows in selected communities.  The sessions address specific social concerns within communities including how to lead an active life; prevent obesity; principles of personal hygiene and nutritional guidance facilitated by Kellogg’s dietitians,” says Mansfield.

The Kellogg’s Health of the Nation 50-Hour Sports Challenge is supported by the National Department of Health Promotion.

“The promotion of sport and an active lifestyle from a young age is very important for the general wellness and well-being of our people,” says Theuns Botha the Western Cape Minister of Health. “The Western Cape Department of Health has adopted an approach to reduce the burden of disease on our system, and that is the creation of wellness. In laymen’s terms it means that the objective is to adopt an approach of preventing illness, rather than build more facilities for sick people. This government will be spending more money on the building of strong immunity, which can only be achieved by a healthy lifestyle, including sport and recreation. For this reason we strongly support the Kellogg’s® Health of the Nation 50-Hour Sports Challenge initiative and call on all learners to participate in the project. Be healthy!”

Schools or individuals wishing to participate in the Kellogg’s® Health of the Nation 50-hour Sports Challenge and research project can contact Natalie at Sporting Chance on 021 683 7299 or log onto www.sportingchance.co.za

Interact with Sporting Chance on Twitter @sportinchance – the event hashtag #sportingchanceHoTN

This is a letter written to the Sporting Chance staff from a wonderful person who volunteered to be a part of this past weekend’s Kellogg’s Health of the Nation: 50 hour sports challenge… thanks Lynn 

Dear Sporting Chance and Sponsors

I got home on Sunday the 18.09.2011, round about 16h30, I was cold and wet, it had been raining that day, the wind was blowing, but I was content. It was the final day of the 50 Hour Healthof the Nation.

My story starts like this:

Thursday morning driving in our tedious traffic to work and listening to Cape Talk Radio Station, I caught the end of an interview between Cape Talk and Brad….. about a
50 Hour Health of the Nation, all I heard was, that there would be hundreds of kids….oh WOW I thought, I wonder if they would need my help, probably not, however I thought….Lynn do not procrastinate again, I thought, send an email offer my help and then at least you know in your heart – you were willing. So my friend “Google” helped me and I sent an e-mail to Sporting Chance.

So off I went, after work to meet Tracey, she briefed me on the weekend’s events and so I agreed to work in what ever role she would require me to fulfil.

Up early Saturday morning, so excited, but also nervous, maybe I am not going to fulfil “their” requirements, maybe they are going to say, “thanks for Saturday” but you don’t have to come back Sunday. Oh well I have committed – no turning back now.

Saturday 17.09.2011

On arriving, I could not believe the amount of people involved, I was given a t-shirt, which I wore, for some strange reason, with so much pride, as I still was not sure what was in line for me the weekend, but proud I was !

I have never seen so many kids in one given space at any one given time – They were all seated in rows in their different schools. “We” started with early morning dancing, just to get the kids “on a high” well they were. I was coordinating the body measurements – being their weight, height, waist and hips measurements, in addition to the sit and reach.

There was not one child who did not want to participate, they would line up with such excitement, just to do the next exercise. I had the most awesome group of students, they were all so dedicated to what they were doing, it was really unbelievable – well 18h00 arrived – too soon for me – and that was the end of day 1.

The kids lined up again in their different schools, and the music starting playing, You just had to be there to experience the enthusiasm from the kids, they danced, we danced – Words cannot describe what I saw with my own two eyes – the only way are by the photos that were taken – and then maybe you will understand.

I left on such a high note, and could not wait for Sunday.

Sunday 18.09.2011

Cold…raining and water logged fields with gusty winds….but that never stopped the enthusiasm from either Coaches or children. My station was still outside, but we had some cover. The students carried on showing their love and dedication towards the kids as if it was a hot summer’s day. There was such an aura about Sunday, I am still struggling to explain to myself how to describe the aura, but believe me it was an aura of joy, and that nobody gave up, just because the weather did not play its role, but as I have learnt in life everything happens for a reason and only time will tell.

Unfortunately we could not get to measure all of the kids, but that was a sign for me that the kids that were not measured will come back into my life sometime soon. All the kids lined again in their different schools inside the hall, we all danced and danced – till it was time to part.

On each day each child was given a “goodie” bag and something to eat, as they left to board their various busses.

I had the privilege of meeting the Kellogg’s team, but could not even say “Thank you”, the lump in my throat was too great.

In my heart I refused to say good bye to anyone, the kids, the students, the coaches, or even management for that matter, because I knew somewhere, sometime or someplace our paths will cross again.

With Love and Gratitude for allowing me this privilege of participating

Lynn Sevenster

Special thanks to Dawn Barrett and the Cape Town Nomadik Tents branch for their continued support!

This year, in addition to all the fun and games of this annual sporting extravaganza, the schoolchildren also took part in a serious fact-finding study, a 10-year follow-up to the original ground-breaking Health of the Nation study, which first revealed the magnitude of obesity in South African children. The resulting information and statistics will assist health and education policy makers to gauge where we are, so that they can continue steering SA youth towards healthier lifestyles.   The Kellogg’s Health of the Nation 50-Hour Sports Challenge is supported by the national Department of Health Promotion, Western Cape Department of Health, Education, Cultural Affairs and Sport.

Thanks to our sponsors Kellogg’s in association with Virgin Active, KIA Motors, SuperSport Let’s and Good Hope fm for making the project possible. and to the Sporting Chance team of coaches for all their hard work.

The interactive format of the road show sessions have been well received by the participants and the messaging focussing on physical
activity, nutrition, health awareness and general fitness has been absorbed by the eager children.

The Sporting Chance team together with Kellogg’s dieticians have visited the communities of Ocean View, Elsies River, Gugulethu, Langa, Manenberg, Masiphumelele , Mitchell’s Plain, Grassy Park and will finish off in Macassar this afternoon.

The 2011 Kellogg’s Health of the Nation project in association with SuperSport Let’s Play, Virgin Active and KIA Motors with radio partners Good Hope fm, is a Four Phase programme that highlights the importance of physical activity and leading a healthy lifestyle.

Phase 1: the Health Education road show has ensured the children are well prepared to take part in Phase 2: the Kellogg’s Health of the Nation: 50 hour sports challenge and Phase 3: the Research Testing (Phase 3) this coming weekend at WPCC Sports Centre.

Look forward to seeing you there…

KELLOGG’S HEALTH OF THE NATION: 50 HOUR SPORTS CHALLENGE

14h00, Friday 16^th to 16h00, Sunday 18^th September 2011

WPCC Sports Centre, Rondebosch

With these findings in mind and to highlight the importance of physical activity, Sporting Chance initiated the Kellogg’s Health of the Nation 50-hour Sports Challenge in 2006. During the Challenge, children participating in the event keep a ball in motion for an uninterrupted 50 hours, to highlight the importance of physical activity in children’s lives.

Now, Six years on, the programme has grown exponentially and we are excited to confirm that we will reintroduce some of the initial research testing into this year’s project. The project is four phases:

Phase 1: In the build up to the 50 hour sports Challenge, Sporting Chance, in association with the National Department of Health and Kellogg’s dieticians, host health educational road shows in selected communities. These sessions address specific social concerns within communities including nutrition, how to lead an active life, prevent obesity and principles of personal hygiene.

Phase 2: Using the basis of the original Health of the Nation research tests conducted, Sporting Chance together with a team of exercise scientists will test all the challenge participants and in this way gather a database in order to compare the results collected over seven years ago. The tests will also look at BMI and cardio vascular risk.

Phase 3: The sixth Kellogg’s Health of the Nation 50-hour Sports Challenge, in association with Sporting Chance, Virgin Active, Kia Charity and Care and Supersport Lets Play, kicks off in Cape Town in mid September before heading to Johannesburg to coincide with National Nutrition Week in October. Good Hope fm will be the radio partner in Cape Town with SAfm in Johannesburg.

Phase 4: The long term goal of the project is to implement school intervention programmes focused on the importance of physical activity and to show government the value of physical education in the school curriculum.

The 2011 Kellogg’s Health of the Nation 50-hour Sports Challenge has the support of the provincial and municipal Departments of Health, Basic Education and Sport & Recreation, in addition to celebrity health ambassadors, who will promote the project and further encourage healthy and active lifestyles among South Africa’s youth.

Kellogg’s Health of the Nation 50 hour sports challenge:

Cape Town: Fri 14^th to Sun 16^th September 2011 – WPCC Sports Centre, Rondebosch

Johannesburg: October 2011

“Real transformation in South African sport will never take place whilst the three fundamental pillars to succeed are missing. Firstly there is a lack of adequate sporting facilities; secondly there is a lack of access to quality sporting equipment and finally there are not enough good and committed coaches.” So says Brad Bing of Sporting Chance, the youth sports development agency that co-ordinates the annual Kellogg’s® Health of the Nation 50-Hour Sports Challenge.

More than 3000 children from disadvantaged communities throughout Gauteng took part in the Challenge held at the Southern Suburbs Recreation Centre in Rosettenville from Friday 15 until Sunday 17 October. Participants ranging from 9 to 13 years of age, kept a ball in motion for an uninterrupted 50 hours to highlight the importance of physical activity in children’s lives.

The Kellogg’s® Health of the Nation 50-Hour Sports Challenge, in association with Sporting Chance, Virgin Active and Kia Charity and Care plus media partners SAfm and Let’s Play, is the largest sporting event of its kind in the country. Children partake in 15 different indoor and outdoor sporting disciplines over the course of the three days.

Bing, who is an avid campaigner for the return of organised physical activity to school curricula, says that the children are exposed to a wide variety of sports during  the Challenge including cricket, tennis, hockey (indoor and outdoor), rounders, table tennis, badminton, netball, basketball, soccer (indoor and outdoor), squash and touch rugby.

“For most of the participants it’s a first time experience, many have never seen or held a badminton or squash racquet before,” says Bing. “You’ve got to introduce as many kids as possible to as many different sporting codes as you can. The idea that kids play one sport limits opportunities for children who might not be good at football or cricket, but have talent to play tennis or badminton. The WP Badminton Association for instance, is in partnership with Sporting Chance and if they see a talented youngster they’ll help him or her to have more access to the sport down the line.”

According to Bing the Challenge was originally born as a direct response to the results of the Health of the Nation research findings1, which were released in 2008. The study to investigate the physical fitness levels and lifestyles of South African children revealed that schoolchildren, from all backgrounds across the country showed a tendency towards the onset of obesity, similar to that seen in developed countries more than a decade ago.  “It was obvious that South Africa faced a serious task in getting the nation to keep active and participate in physical activity to create a healthy lifestyle,” says Bing.

Two years later, increasing levels of child obesity and physical inactivity as a result of modern lifestyles are high on the global education agenda. Closer to home a study by the University of the Western Cape’s School of Public Health published in the media2 has revealed that of two schools monitored,  almost a quarter of the pupils were either overweight or obese. “What’s also worrying,” says Bing, “Is that the study also stated that at least 80% of the learners did not participate in any sport.”
“Up to a certain age, all boys and girls should ideally be exposed to sport. Research has shown you develop your habits by the age of 12. If you’re not playing sport or leading an active and healthy lifestyle by then, the chances are that sport and being physically active will not feature in your adult lifestyle. The Health of the Nation research that we pioneered with Tim Noakes proved that.”

Bing says that over the past four years the Challenge has grown exponentially and is now a two-fold event. “In addition to teaching and showing learners how to be physically active on the field it’s also important to empower South African children to make healthy lifestyle choices off the field. In this light, in the two weeks leading up to the Challenge, Sporting Chance hosts pre-Challenge road shows in selected communities, The sessions address specific social concerns within communities including how to lead an active life; prevent obesity; principles of personal hygiene and nutritional guidance facilitated by Kellogg’s dietitians.”

Many accomplished sportsmen have benefited from the Sporting Chance coaching programmes and events. These include current England international cricketer, Craig Kieswetter, Lions captain, Thami Tsolekile, former rugby Springbok, Neil de Kock; as well as Beijing Olympians, Andrew Cronje and South African hockey captain, Austin Smith and Lloyd Norris Jones. However, creating international sporting stars is not Sporting Chance’s primary aim and all its projects include a life-skills education component, focusing on nutrition, personal goal setting and the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle, delivered to the learners in a fun and easy-to-understand manner.

“The prime objective of Sporting Chance is to make sport available to as many children as possible irrespective of race, gender or social class,” says Bing. “Team sports are a great way of teaching children essential skills that can be applied throughout their lives. Sport shows us the beauty of friendship, camaraderie and team spirit and it helps us to deal with the hardships of failure, frustration and disappointment.”

“Health of the Nation is a groundbreaking project that focuses on the importance of physical activity and the positive role it plays in a child’s life,” says Sarah Mansfield, corporate spokesperson for the Kellogg Company of South Africa.   Whether at a social or competitive level, it is fundamental in the development of their personality, co-ordination and social development. As a brand, Kellogg understands the importance of creating awareness and supports the work being done by Sporting Chance in encouraging self improvement.”

Kim Webster, CSR Manager for co-sponsor Virgin Active adds, “Virgin Active believes that life’s more fun when you move. And with partnerships like this one with Sporting Chance and our Club V product we can introduce children to movement at a young age and encourage them towards adopting active and healthy lifestyles when they grow older.”
The Kellogg’s® Health of the Nation 50-Hour Sports Challenge is supported by the national Department of Health, the Department of Sport and Recreation, Education and Social Development and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of South Africa.

For more information on the Kellogg’s® Health of the Nation 50-hour Sports Challenge, contact Natalie at Sporting Chance on 021 683 7299 or log onto www.sportingchance.co.za

SAfm tackles Health of the Nation with Sporting Chance

SAfm, the SABC’s news and information radio station, has officially come on board as a media partner to support the Johannesburg leg of the fifth annual Kellogg’s^® Health of the Nation 50-Hour Sports Challenge 2010.

More than 3000 children from disadvantaged communities throughout Gauteng will take part in the event, which takes place at the Southern Suburbs Recreation Centre in Rosettenville from Friday 15 until Sunday 17 October.

The participants, who range from 9 to 13 years of age, will keep a ball in motion for an uninterrupted 50 hours to highlight the importance of physical activity in children’s lives.

The Kellogg’s^® Health of the Nation 50-Hour Sports Challenge, in association with Sporting Chance, Virgin Active, Kia Charity and Care and Supersport Let’s Play, is the largest sport event of its kind in the country. Children participate in 15 different indoor and outdoor sport disciplines over the course of the three days.

Brad Bing of Sporting Chance, the youth sports development agency that conceived and co-ordinates the event, says that studies have shown that obesity among children in developed countries is increasing at an alarming rate, but the problem isn’t only confined to these countries.

“South Africa’s youth is falling into the same category through poor nutrition, lack of physical exercise and of course limited education. But kids in our country, and especially in the disadvantaged communities, face even greater challenges due to high crime, gang culture, lack of role models and limited opportunities,” says Bing. “Sport is one way, arguably one of the best ways, to tackle these social problems.

“Sporting Chance continues to contribute towards helping create a stable future for our youth,” says SAfm’s Marketing Manager Siphelele Sixaso.  “We have applauded this initiative since its inception five years ago and are now pleased to be on board in an official capacity as a radio partner. We are committed to supporting this initiative on air to ensure that our listeners are made aware of this worthwhile project.”

Schools or individuals wishing to participate in the Kellogg’s^® Health of the Nation 50-hour Sports Challenge can contact Natalie at Sporting Chance on 021 683 7299 or log onto www.sportingchance.co.za