Wellington Sport Day, 21 January 2012

The Centre for Multigrade Education in collaboration with M-Net and the Let's Play initiative hosted a highly successful sport day that took place on the sport fields of Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Wellington campus, on the 21^st of January 2012. Many young lives were touched by this special day of sport, fun, friendship and camaraderie.

The day started at 10am, thanks to Paarl Rock Tours that brought 180 children, aged between 9 and 16 years to Wellington from various locations in the rural countryside of the Western Cape, namely  Blouvlei Primary (Wellington), Bergrivier Primary (Wellington), Holvlei Primary (Hopefield), St Michael’s Primary (Grabouw) and Welvaart Primary near Ceres.

For most of these children it was the first time they were involved in an organized sport event. The aim of the day was fun and games but because of the competitive nature of these children they truly gave it their all in competing in all events. The day ended with a prize giving ceremony, there after all the children, coordinators and principals attended the warm up match between the Vodacom Stormers and the Regent Boland Cavaliers at the Boland Rugby stadium.

Well known public figures Dieter Voigt and Breyton Paulse joined in the festivities of fun and games. Voigt, one of the presenters of Pasella and former Mr South Africa, was the MC for the day. Paulse, a former Springbok wing, delivered a very powerful motivational speech regarding goal-settings and commitment in achieving your goals. Paulse, also a learner from a multi-grade school stated that there is no substitute for hard work and self-belief.

A motor development program was implemented in the above mentioned multi-grade schools in early 2011.  The aim of the program was to develop general motor skills which include:  rhythm, speed, agility, coordination, balance, laterality and other motor specific motor components and what influence does such a program has on the numeracy and literacy levels of participating children. The sports day comprised from of a 50 meter hurdles sprint, cricket ball throw, sit-ups, push-ups, shuttle runs, long jump and 600m stamina run.

The research data obtained from the participating schools in 2011 will be posted as a separate article and will discuss the results and effectiveness of the program. The sports day will be televised on M-Net. Broadcasting dates and times will be posted on our website

We would like to thank the following partners for making this day possible.

• M-Net, Let’s Play
• Spur
• CPUT
• CMGE staff
• Paarl Rock Tours
• Pacmar
• Boland Rugby

 

Photos by Nasief Manie, Senior Photographer at Media 24.

Breyton Paulse and Dieter Voight with children from rural farm schools in the Western Cape.

Cyril Lawless and Sors Joubert, the organisers of the Sport Day, with the Sport kit that the rural multigrade schools received in the beginning of the project.

Dieter Voight in lighter spirits

The Sport program caters for all needs. Here Jaquin April from Blouvlei Primary School outside Wellington, shows off his upper body strengh.

Click here for more photos.

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