Get sharp and ready with pre season training at our cricket and soccer clinics, and enjoy refining those skills you have mastered this past season with our hockey and special edition World Cup rugby clinics.

As Sporting Chance celebrates 21 years and we start a new coaching season we are proud to welcome new apparel sponsor Hi-Tec and associate sponsor Kauai. We also are delighted to continue our relationship with title sponsor Flip File, and associate sponsors Sportsmans Warehouse, BIC, GM and media partners SuperSport Let’s Play.

Thank you to our sponsors for their continued support and we look forward to having the Sporting Chancers join us on the fields at Constantia, Kelvin Grove, WPCC and Kenridge PS next week!

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 weather has been sublime and we couldn’t be more grateful to have had a warm week in the middle of July. Not sure if it’s climate change or just pure luck with the timing, but it certainly made the clinics run well with everyone enjoying the winter sunshine.

The Constantia venue has again proved popular with both the rugby and soccer clinics being well attended. Of particular interest was the amount of players that come from the traditional Southern Schools that enjoy soccer and would like to see the sport being introduced into their school sports structure… we will have to watch that space.

Bellville and Somerset West venues have been busy with the three sports codes producing good results. Kelvin Grove was buzzing with activity as the soccer and rugby boys and girls were put through their paces.

The highlight of the week must be the awesome vibe and amazing performance of the close on 100 juniors and seniors at the WPCC astro hockey clinic. The coaching team was phenomenal featuring a group of provincial and top level club players and SA women’s hockey player, Cindy Brown and SA u21 representative, Taylor Dart. To have a coaching team with such experience and hockey pedigree is fantastic and the skills certainly rubbed off on the eager participants.

SA cricket icon Herschelle Gibbs was once again passing on his expertise and incredible skills. His presence was well received by the young Sporting Chancers and their parents alike.

Many thanks to our Sporting Chance team of coaches and our sponsors Flip File, Sportsmans Warehouse, Second Skins, GM, BIC, TK hockey and SuperSport Let’s Play for their continued support.

With this is mind the Sporting Chance Development Foundation aims to run sports coaching clinics to keep the children occupied, away from social evils, and to continue to achieve their mission of promoting physical activity and giving children a ‘Sporting Chance’.

This week the Sporting Chance team joined experienced coaches from the Khayelitsha community to host a multi sport holiday coaching clinic for over 150 participants from the surrounding schools. Boys and girls aged 8 – 14 years were eager to be a part of the action and the clinic was oversubscribed with children participating in soccer, netball and rugby.

Sports skills was not the only focus of the clinics as life skills specifically sports etiquette and taking responsibility were emphasised by the coaching staff. Registration was efficient and those that were not there on day one could unfortunately not participate for the rest of the week unless they had a feasible excuse. The idea behind this lesson is that one’s commitment must be evident from the beginning and those children that followed the instructions were those that were rewarded. It’s a difficult lesson to learn, but one that has seen results as Sporting Chance’s prides itself on structure and discipline.

The weekly programme included new skills, innovative coaching drills and fun games and the team of coaches and children worked hard throughout the week. The programme ended off with mini tournaments within the respective sports codes today and each participant was then rewarded with an energy drink, hotdog and a Sporting Chance prize.

Thanks to our Sporting Chance sponsors Flip File, Sportsmans Warehouse, GM, Second Skins, BIC and SuperSport Let’s Play for their support of Sporting Chance, which allowed us to give all participants a t-shirt and a prize.

Special appreciation to the Solstice Foundation for their investment into the Sporting Chance Development Foundation, which made this coaching clinic possible and we look forward to future programmes.

The Sporting Chance team met the group early in the morning and took them to our Sporting Chance Development Foundation coaching clinic being held in Khayelitsha this week. The students and teachers got involved with the children, interacting and participating in the sports specific drills.

The Sporting Chance Development Foundation coaching clinic includes three sports codes: rugby, soccer and netball and runs for three hours from 09h00 – 12h00 each day this week.

For many of the Judge Memorial students this was their first time playing rugby or netball and their enthusiasm and excitement while playing with the children was inspiring. Everyone got hands on involved chatting, playing and learning about these young children’s lives. 

After hours of active fun, everyone gathered to say thank yous and the children showed their gratitude in their unique way by singing a very emotional and sentiment rendition of Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfika.

The Judge Memorial group then rewarded the over 120 Khayelitsha children and coaches with a specially prepared lunch pack which they had made up with sandwiches, juice, fruit and treats.

From the coaching clinic the group and a selected number of children moved on to the KIA Street Soccer venue to play some Street Soccer. The Judge Memorial group and the Khayelitsha children were divided into eight different teams and a mini-tournament was organised. The matches were played in a wonderful spirit befitting the nature of the day and the USA students and youngsters certainly displayed some impressive skills.

The atmosphere gave you goose-bumps and the interaction was wonderful to see with many of the students saying this was a highlight of their trip.

“Who would have ever thought I would have the opportunity to play Street Soccer with South African children on the streets of their township. It’s just an incredible experience and one I will treasure forever!” commented one of the students having just completed his Street Soccer match.

After some competitive and impressive matches the day in Khayelitsha was brought to a close with a small prize giving with wonderful aluminium water bottles supplied as prizes by the Judge Memorial group.  The presentation also included a hand over of a monetary and kit donation for the Sporting Chance Development Foundation. The R 15 000 donation had been raised by the Judge Memorial students through various fund raising initiatives back home after they had identified Sporting Chance as an organisation they would like to support.

To end a memorable day the Sporting Chance team took the group to the infamous Mzoli’s in Gugulethu to experience SA’s finest bucket served meat and to really get a taste of SA culture and flavour.

As the sun was starting to set, the Sporting Chance team bid farewell to the Judge Memorial group and one of the comments made by a member of the teaching staff with linger long with us…

“I have been alive for over 50 years and I can honestly say that this ranks amongst one of the best days of my life, Thank You!” 

From the Sporting Chance team a tremendous Thank You to Dave McMillan and his group from Judge Memorial Catholic School for their donations and support of Sporting Chance.

The Sporting Chance coaching clinics have been one of the most popular and affordable children’s holiday activities for almost 21 years. Kids get to choose between hockey, soccer and rugby and, as over 2000 children that have done our clinics in the past will testify, there is no better way to enhance your sporting skills and have fun at the same time. 

For more information on venues, times and costs please visit our website or contact Marike on 021 683 7299.

This pilot clinic formed the first phase of the Sevens rugby legacy programme which is a prospective initiative between Mpho Mbiyozo and Sporting Chance. The Sevens rugby legacy programme will evolve over a series of phases with the aim to create excitement around the game of rugby Sevens, elevating the games profile and adding weight to the bid to make it an Olympic sport in 2016. In addition the legacy programme will be focused on mentoring identified talent and giving them the opportunities that have been afforded to Mpho through rugby and specifically the Sevens game.

The first day started with each child receiving a Sporting Chance t-shirt and a light snack before taking to the rugby field with tremendous enthusiasm and in awe of their Springbok heroes. The clinic ran to a structured program with the Sporting Chance and Lagunya coaches taking charge and putting the youngsters through their paces. The early morning warm up and shuttles ensured that they were ready to take on the specially adapted Springbok Sevens drills with inspirational instructions and expert knowledge being passed on from two of South Africa’s leading Sevens players.

The noticeable increase in skill and ability during day two was fantastic to see and it was clear the participants benefited and learned new skills from their coaches and Springbok mentors. Overall, this pilot clinic was a huge success and has proven to be a good starting point for the prospective Sevens Legacy Programme.

Sporting Chance, together with the Springboks Sevens captains Mpho Mbiyozo and Mzwandile Stick, will host a Sevens Rugby coaching clinic in the Western Cape community of Nyanga. This will take place in conjunction with the Lagunya Rugby club to promote the game of sevens in the community and give talented players the opportunity to be introduced to the game. The clinic is the start of a partnership between Sporting Chance and Mpho Mbiyozo whose aim is to give talented rugby players an opportunity that was afforded to him through the game.

The long term aim of the program is to identify athletes with potential to be successful in rugby and to provide them with the necessary skills to develop their natural talent under the guidance from Mpho and Sporting Chance.

DATES AND TIMES:

Rugby 7’s clinic with Springbok 7’s captain’s – Mpho Mbiyozo & Mzwandile Stick           

Dates:                                  Mon 6^th & Tues 7^th July

Venue:                                 Nyanga Stadium

Time:                                    09h00 – 13h00