Programme director
Minister of Sport and Recreation, Comrade Makhenkesi Stofile
MEC for Education, Mr Tate Makgoe
Representatives of SADTU, SAOU and NAPTOSA
Representatives of sport federations
Ladies and gentlemen
Comrades
Today we meet to yet again add another important edifice in the field of sport and recreation in our province, the Free State School Sport Controlling Body. You will all recall that on 15 January this year we launched another important structure, the Free State Sport Confederation which is the controlling and macro structure for sport in the province.
We meet today to launch a structure of the same purpose of managing and controlling sport, although at school level. We are indeed proud of these milestones that we are setting which bring us closer and closer to the goal of ensuring that mass participation in sport and recreation becomes a reality in this province. It is our firm view that it is through the proper management and administration of sport and recreation matters that we would be able to realise the goals as set out in our sport talent development strategy. We will recall that the sport talent continuum, encapsulated in this strategy, outlines that an athlete will move from a particular lower level of development to a higher level of competitiveness.
While we will continue to establish and build infrastructure, such as the Local Talent Development Centres and District High Performance Centres that we started launching on 5 February this year in QwaQwa, we deem it fit and necessary that we must also focus firmly on the management and administration of sport and recreation. The establishment of the Free State Sport Confederation and, lately, the Free State School Sport Controlling Body, is geared towards this goal of ensuring proper management and administration of sport and recreation. Leadership is necessary and quality leadership has to be provided to give direction and ensure unity of purpose in any aspect of life.
Programme director, honoured guests, the School Sport Controlling Body in the Free State is constituted by 16 school sport codes: athletics, aquatics, baton twirling, baseball, basketball, chess, cricket, cross country, football, hockey, netball, rugby, table tennis, tennis, volleyball and gymnastics. Sport disciplines for learners with special needs in the
school sport programme are as follows:
- Category one: Mentally Mild Handicapped
- Category tw Intellectually Impaired
- Category three: Physically Disabled/Blind
- Category four: Deaf.
This structure has been established from code committees that represent the above mentioned sport codes as well as regional and district committees constituted by various schools in the province. The process for the establishment of this structure involved a collaborative effort between the Free State Department of Education and the Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation.
Programme director, ladies and gentlemen, the role played by sport in the intellectual development of a learner and, consequently, in his or her academic performance is beyond doubt. We therefore need to ensure that sport becomes and integral part of a learner’s activities in a school if we are to ensure improvement in academic performance in our schools.
As the province we have already embarked on two important programmes which serve to enhance school sport, particularly in the context of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. These are: My 2010 Schools Adventure as well as the 32 schools mini world cup. These two
programmes serve as part of a build-up programme towards the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
My 2010 Schools Adventure is a tournament comprising of 22 schools that participate in the programme on a knockout basis to determine the provincial winners. Provincial winners will represent the province at the national “My 2010 Schools Adventure” to be held in Gauteng in May 2010. The provincial tournament was played at the Tempe Sport Grounds from 23 to 25 April 2010. My 2010 Schools Adventure tournament also features games of learners with special needs consisting of boys and girls that participated in their own finals. Prizes for all categories were awarded at the end of the ceremony.
The 32 Schools Mini Soccer World Cup was officially launched on 17 October 2010 at Phakisa, Welkom and the official opening ceremony was held on 5 February 2010 at Charles Mopeli stadium, QwaQwa. The tournament is now at the quarter finals stage.
Honoured guests, I have no doubt that this structure that we are launching today will further advance school sport in our province. I have faith in the men and women that have been entrusted with this responsibility of coordinating and managing school sport in the Free State and we wish them well in their efforts.
May I now take this opportunity to present to you the Minister of Sport and Recreation in our country, comrade Makhenkesi Stofile who is now becoming the son of the Free State due to his continuous presence in this province. We are indeed again honoured by the presence of Minister Stofile at this event, having been with us yesterday at the Freedom Day celebrations in Koppies where he delivered the keynote address. We will recall that Minister Stofile also honoured us with his presence during the launch of the Free State Sport Confederation on 15 January this year.
As a consequence of the fact that Comrade Stofile is a formidable figure on the national landscape which constitute the body-politic of our country, and due to his sterling work in the sport and recreation arena, and the fact that he has interacted with us on several occasions as Free Staters, I do not think that he requires any elaborate introduction by myself or anyone. Let me therefore take this moment to express our gratitude as Free Staters to Minister Stofile for again gracing our occasion.
I thank you.
Source: Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Free State Provincial Government
