06/10/2020
I am pretty passionate about Sport. I am also passionate about South Africa, her people, and the encouraging stories that sport can provide.
What you may not know is that my passion isn’t only about sports performance at the highest level, but also about sports ability to touch normal, everyday people.
I was fortunate to coach rugby at UCT. Here I met incredible people. Some of the most memorable characters didn’t necessarily go on to play at the highest level. But their lives and characters where unquestionably crafted by sport and the lessons it teaches us.
Fast forward to today and the last few months have reignited my fire for sport and it's ability to positively impact our society.
I met Scott Sloan from the School of Hard Knocks SA (SOHK). Besides being an absolute legend, he invited me to come to see first-hand the work they do.
The organisation he directs uses sport as a tool to help disadvantaged young people improve their well-being and support them in taking agency over their emotions and behaviors, in order to live healthy, happy lives.
So many (a vast majority) of our youth live in environments and face challenges far beyond anything I could truly relate to due to my happy, healthy, and privileged upbringing. These situations often lead to traumas and behaviors that place these youths under severe stress and are 'at risk' of dropping out of school and traveling down dangerous paths. Unmanaged stress and anxiety have a massive effect on mental health and can lead down dangerous paths.
The program his team runs uses sport to ‘level the playing field’ and teach life, relational and behavioral skills that give them a chance of changing their story. Providing access to caring adults and a supportive peer group, offering respite from the stress caused by the adversity they experience daily.
Not all respond, but there is enough evidence to remind me of what I have always known deep down. That sport is such a massive opportunity to educate, encourage, inspire, and equip young South Africans. These kinds of organisations are not always focussed on just unearthing sporting talent, but about creating good solid characters who have the potential to lead themselves, their communities, and businesses.
They are not alone on this mission and I have had the privilege of engaging and assisting a few of these like-minded organisations over the last few weeks. They deserve recognition. They deserve support. In time, effort, and financially.
So go do some investigating. Follow them on Social Media. Like a post. Send an encouraging message. Even get involved. If you are anything like me, you won’t regret it.
Here is a Thaara’s story and how SOHK’s has positively impacted her young journey.
