Using Sport to Create Young Leaders & Teach Values!
By Amanda MacKenzie, SportWORKS Officer, Swaziland
Yesterday had been the best day for me so far. After what felt like forever and 1000 hours of work we finally started out Sport Values 4 Life program. This is what the whole office has been working towards since I have arrived in Swaziland. This program is an extension of the LIT program because if focuses on making these leaders into coaches and teaching them how to incorporate values into their sporting lives daily.
We had ran an IBA MBAYA/WADA Fellowship Program that started on Saturday November 14th and 15th. On this weekend there were 10 female and male participants to learn many different areas of education. The educational and fun activities included: art and drawing, computer lectures World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) education, Olympism knowledge, kids athletics, Asidlale games, and the SOGCA TRRFCC dance and song. The next weekend, the 21st, I was able to participate and help set up the final day and register the participants for the 3km fast run. We were very successful as we had over 200 participants show up to complete the run.
After the run we broke the participants into different age groups. I was first placed with the IMA participants to create games to include a young man in a wheelchair. It was absolutely beautiful how easily they had come up with games using their hands and tossing a ball to the boy. You could tell from his laughter that he was having the time of his life. Once the participants were able to complete the activities by themselves I moved to work with the under 6 group. Here we taught them the TRRFCC song, other songs, and how to use a hula-hoop many ways (around their waist, how to use it as a skipping rope and jump through it, and how to place it on your ankle and skip with it).
At the end of this program one boy and one girl were chosen to receive a scholarship of $1000 US dollars. This money would go towards the children’s school fees, sports equipment, competition fees, coaching fees and any other necessities they need. This was the best part of the day because when the two names were called you should’ve seen the smiles on their faces. You could tell that they were proud of themselves for winning. What I also loved was that none of the other participants seemed upset or man that they hadn’t won the prize, they all clapped for their friends.
The second event I was able to participate in last week was the 1st day of the 16 day against violence. SOCGA has set up an event that used sport to help combat the issue of violence. We used these games to teach the 100 participants (both teachers and students) important messages about saying no to violence, how violence is never the answer, being able and allowed to say no, how to overcome obstacles and the refusal to be silent.
We set up a Positive Play Day (PPD) where there were different stations that got the participants active and then we would have a brief discussion of what the stations can teach you. I was the facilitator for the hurdle sprint station. The lesson of my activity was that others will be there for you when you have to continue to jump over your obstacles. This was my lesson because it was the only station where everyone worked together as one team to try to achieve the shortest time. I also have bragging rights because my station was also the loudest for cheering each other on!
Once the PPD was done we all met in the conference room. Naomi (with the help of the OAC) workers gave an educational presentation about the Olympafrica Centre (OAC), SOGCA, and the Leaders in Training Program. It highlighted how events like this can happen at their schools so we can teach the children about issues such as violence.
I may have worked a 12 hour shift yesterday but it definitely didn’t feel like that. The day started with Mrs. Hofer giving the introduction, teaching them what a coach is, the responsibility of a coach, and the six important values that SOGCA pushes (TRRFCC: trust, respect, responsibility, fair play, caring, community). We spent the rest of the day teaching them the fine motor skills that are important for any athlete to learn before he/she is able go. The topics included: landing, balance and rotation.
We ended the day with some ‘Futbol Net’, which is a soccer game that has different rules. The score at the end doesn’t decide the winner; it’s whichever team had the best values. The rules included if someone got injured everyone had to go an make sure the player was alright, clap whenever a goal was scored, and make sure every player on your team had time with the ball.
Yesterday was so much fun and it was amazing seeing all of our hard work finally be something. It makes it even better that our participant seem to want to be there and continue to learn about sports so they can help others. This is only the first day of the first group but I’m super excited that I know this is how my last two weeks here will be like.
Today made me realize how I only have two more weeks in this beautiful country and how I have to continue to make each moment count.
Read more inspiring SportWORKS stories at www.cgcsportworks.ca
Published by Amanda MacKenzie: A fourth year Sport Management student at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario Canada. Queen Elizabeth Scholar and Commonwealth Games Canada SportWORKS Officer at the Swaziland Olympic and Commonwealth Association. This is my journey while being placed in the beautiful country of Swaziland for four months.
