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

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.

The Ocean View community are participating in the Kellogg’s Health of the Nation for the first time, which meant they were all eager to be a part of the action. Phase 1: The Health Education road show takes the format of engaged learning, with the participants being divided into sub groups and spending 15-20 minutes at four activity zones as follows:

1. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY: This zone highlights the importance of physical activity through a series of fun exercises & drills including shuttles runs, sit  ups, push ups and hand-eye coordination exercises. Variations of the conventional drills focus on emphasising the enjoyment of physical activity with the participants competing in: Sack Races – increase lower body strength; Ball and spoon races – increase hand eye co-ordination; Wheel barrow races – increase upper body strength; Sprint races – increase in speed off the mark; Shuttle races – increase in endurance

2. NUTRITION: This zone is facilitated by Kellogg’s dieticians and highlights the importance of eating a balanced diet & making healthy food choices. The activity includes a workshop focusing on food groups and the benefits attached.

3. HEALTH EDUCATION: This zone focussed on personal hygiene and the importance of washing hands, brushing teeth, keeping your body clean with emphasis on its relation to preventing TB etc. When? Why? and How? we should we carry out this daily routine.

4. FITNESS SPECIFIC: This zone focuses on specialised activities that advise participants on specific exercises to improve their sporting abilities. Through this participants are introduced to the scientific research testing that will take place at the Kellogg’s Health of the Nation: 50 hour sports challenge.

The session concluded with a group ‘Question and Answer’ session to illustrate the life skills discussed before all participants were part of a vibe dance in preparation for their participation in Phase 2: Kellogg’s Health of the Nation 50 hour sports challenge next week.

Day 2 of the road show saw the team visit Gugulethu where the participants from the schools excitedly gathered at NY49 to be a part of the Kellogg’s Health of the Nation project.

Look forward to sharing the rest of the week’s activities…

 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