Beyond Sport Leaves Local Legacy In Soweto
Beyond Sport teamed up with Connor Sport Court International and The Sports Trust to open a state-of-the-art Sport Court® game court at the Atamelang Primary School in Soweto on Monday.
The new court was unveiled ahead of the Beyond Sport Summit and Awards, taking place across various venues in Johannesburg this week.
"On this court you will have a chance to learn life skills which will help you through your journey into work and family life," Beyond Sport founder Nick Keller told the school's learners.
"Enjoy your time on this court, where you will make friends and bonds for life."
Max Jordaan, projects chairman of the Sports Trust, believed the new Sport Court would help develop future stars and leaders.
"It's about human capital development more than it is about sport," Jordaan said. "We're involving the community because it's about taking ownership of this new facility.
"We wish the school well and hopefully we will see and read about the stars from this area in future."
Designed specifically with the school’s physical education curriculum in mind, the Sport Court® outdoor court is made up of interlocking tiles which are suitable for five-a-side soccer, netball, basketball, volleyball and tennis, and has a 20-year lifespan.
As part of an ongoing legacy, this is the third court of its kind that Beyond Sport has created in partnership with Connor Sport Court International in locations that the Beyond Sport Summit has been hosted. Currently with courts in Philadelphia and Tanzania, the brand new court at the Atamelang Primary School will provide the school’s pupils and children from five other schools in the local community with the opportunity to train on a safe, elite-level sports surface.
"Every child in South Africa deserves a nice, flat, safe place to play and learn the values offered by sport," said Andrew Gettig, International Vice President of Connor Sport.
The three-day global Beyond Sport Summit, which includes activity sessions, in-depth workshops and main stage panels, will be held at venues across Johannesburg from Tuesday to Thursday.
The event will showcase leading sport-for-social-change programmes making a positive impact across the city, and provide an opportunity for sharing of best practice from around the world, with representatives of various international organisations taking part, including UNICEF, Tottenham Hotspur and many more.
For more information and to book your place at the Beyond Sport Summit, please visit http://www.beyondsport.org/event/beyond-sport-summit-2014/