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

“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

Rising levels of child obesity and physical inactivity as a result of modern lifestyles are currently high on the global education agenda. In a bid to tackle this situation a road show under the auspices of Sporting Chance, in association with Kellogg’s^®, Virgin Active, Kia Charity and Care and the Western Cape Department of Health Promotions, will visit schools throughout the Western Cape from Monday 6 until Thursday 16 September.

According to Brad Bing of Sporting Chance, the youth sports development agency that conceived and co-ordinates the events, the aim of the road show is to highlight the importance of physical activity in children’s lives.  “Sporting Chance will also visit various communities throughout the Western Cape, including Gugulethu, Nyanga, Khayelitsha, Masiphumelele, Langa and Manenberg to address social concerns such as nutrition, how to lead an active life; prevent obesity and principles of personal hygiene,” says Bing.

The road shows will take place in the lead up to the fourth annual Kellogg’s^® Health of the Nation 50-Hour Sports Challenge. More than 6000 children between the ages of nine and thirteen will keep a ball in motion for an uninterrupted 50 hours, to reinforce the physical activity message. The Challenge kicks off in Cape Town on Friday 17 September before heading to Johannesburg to coincide with National Nutrition Week in October.

Bing says the Challenge was originally born as a direct response to the results of the Health of the Nation research findings¹, which revealed that South African 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 assist in maintaining a healthy lifestyle,” says Bing.

Bing says that the Challenge has grown exponentially and is now a two-fold event with the road shows taking place prior to the Challenge.

Highlighting the importance of physical activity in children’s lives the fun-filled, activity based road shows take place outdoors (weather permitting) on school fields. Pupils are divided into groups and receive instruction on each specific health topic before applying the knowledge practically. Nutritional guidance is facilitated by Kellogg dietitians and thereafter they participate in a question and answer session.

“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.”

Many accomplished sportsmen have benefited from the Sporting Chance coaching programmes and events. These include Protea cricketers, Herschelle Gibbs and Jacques Kallis; 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.

“Health of the Nation is a groundbreaking project that focuses on the importance of physical activity combined with empowering South African children to make healthy lifestyle choices, both on and off the sports field,” says Sarah Mansfield, corporate spokesperson for the Kellogg Company of South Africa.

“Physical activity and sport play a positive role in a child’s life. 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.”

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.

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

 This is the second year Masiphumelele has been involved in the Annual Street Cricket league and the atmosphere was something not to be missed. Those not participating were lining the streets cheering the teams on, the coaches were filled with enthusiasm and support for the children and the cricket talent was in abundance.

After Masiphumelele I headed out to Ocean View were the Streets were covered with children in yellow t-shirts all excited at the prospects that their team could join the other regions at the Street Cricket Final in Langa. It was great to see the support from the community and the resident DJ playing some great tunes to keep the spirits high.

The co-ordinators in the other regions assured me that week 2 went well and that the competition is hotting up. I look forward to week 3 in the various regions and wish all the teams luck in the upcoming week.

For more detailed information on each regions league please don’t hesitate to contact Sporting Chance. 021 683 7299

Each league has 250 participants and coaches and will involve boys and girls under the age of 11. It runs for 7 weeks and encourages kids to get involved in sport as an alternative to getting involved with gangs and drugs which plague many of these communities especially between the dangerous hours of 14h00 till 18h00. 

A big thank you must go to our loyal sponsors Disney Enterprises, City of Cape Town, our numerous private donors with media partners Good Hope FM and Super Sport Lets Play also getting involved in the action. The support from the sponsors allows the league to happen each year and for Sporting Chance to employ a league co-ordinator and 20 coaches in each region.

The Street Cricket league regional finals will take place on Friday 20^th November in the various regions to find the regional finalist who will join the other regional finalists at the annual Street Cricket final in Langa on Thursday 26^th November – the home of Street Cricket.

For more information about the league details, please contact Sporting Chance on 021 683 7299