Soccer and the School Holidays
29.06.10
While soccer matches of professionals, semi professionals, fans, little ones and veterans are taking place all over the country, the schools are closed to allow more time for learners to enjoy the action. However, especially children and youth from the townships often don’t have the opportunity to watch the games at public viewing spots or even on TV, never mind live in the stadium... and the school holidays for them are just six weeks of nothing to do! And one must keep in mind – in Cape Town it is winter and kicking a ball on the dirt pitch down the road is not an option if it’s pouring with rain! Yabonga has therefore developed a comprehensive Holiday programme for children and youth alike to enjoy the time of school! Many activities – obviously - are soccer related and include watching the games when Bafana Bafana is on, others have nothing to do with soccer and are just about spending time in the wilderness or visiting museums or participating in art projects.
Thanks to Grassroots Soccer we have even been able to secure tickets for 42 of our youth to actually go to the stadium and watch their heroes live in action! On the 21st of June they’ll see Korea battling it out with Portugal! Those kids will be able to say “I was there”!
But also for the other 260 participants these holidays should be a soccer festival, feeling it, living it and enjoying the spirit of the world’s biggest soccer spectacle in their home country! So we are trying to go to Public Viewing spots like the Oliver Tambo Centre in Khayelitsha or the Athlone Civic and organise our own Opening party on the 11th of June 2010! And of course we will play – there will be soccer tournaments twice every week in the different locations for the different age groups! We are determined to make these “Soccer Holidays” unforgettably fun for all our programme participants…
