S4S and CAC Work Together for Social Inclusion
October 7, 2013. Our first program in Zimbabwe began with a week of fun for a partnership that has a huge impact on children in Mutare, Zimbabwe between Coaches Across Continents and Sports 4 Socialization (S4S). The Coaches Across Continents volunteer group was led by Sophie Legros. Jon Dickinson, Becca Meierbachtol and Danielle Foxhoven were the volunteer coaches, all on their first trips with CAC. The program ran 3 days in Mutare with about 30 women and 5 men community leaders attending the weeks sessions. S4S works with children with any disability to provide them with physiotherapy, physical education, support, mentorship and a place to
play sports with other children (disabled or fully abled)!
Despite the heat of the mornings and the 3 hour long training sessions
the women were in high spirits and laughter everyday! Eager to learn
more games and lessons for the kids they coach and teach they brought
their best efforts in every game played. In fact women were diving on
the ground, sliding and not afraid to get dirty.
By the end of the week the women were confident with their new lessons
as the volunteer coaches watched them coach the games back to the
group displaying their adaptations to the games for the children’s
disabilities that they teach.
On the mornings and afternoons when the volunteer coaches were not on
the field with the community leaders they were helping the wonderful
S4S staff with their on field duties at each of the 6 primary schools
they work at. Overall the week was a success and both our CAC coaches and S4S coaches came away better and more knowledgeable and equipped!
Sport 4 Socialisation, Zimbabwe Prepare for International Women’s Day
March 7, 2013. Sport 4 Socialisation are gearing up for International Women’s Day on March 8, 2013. S4S is one of Coaches Across Continents’ partners in Zimbabwe, working in the Eastern city of Mutare. S4S has the aim to improve the quality of life and to promote social inclusion of children with disabilities and their families. Check out their new video!
[vimeo http://vimeo.com/60731754]
Coaches Across Continents is proud to work with groups like S4S as they seek to improve conditions locally and globally for all people. The second year of our Hat Trick Initiative is underway in 2013 and we will be sharing ideas at their site again in September.
Mothers involved in S4S play “Nawal Leadership Lines”, part of the GOAL curriculum provided by CAC
IMPACT Zimbabwe: Sport4Socialisation
Nov 28th, 2012: Sport4Socialisation update:
S4S is a unique program run out of Mutare, Zimbabwe, that works with
mentally and physically disabled youth and their families. S4S was
another winner of Beyond Sport, and CAC volunteers spent two weeks in
Mutare in July, helping the organization rework their curriculum and
prepare their football team for the Paralympics. S4S has since
returned from the Danhiko Paralympic Games, where they won 3 gold, 3
silver, and a bronze medal. They have moved their office to the center
of town, where they now have their own physiotherapy clinic, and their
parent support group has expanded its services to making peanut
butter, sewing, and buying and selling firewood as additional means of
income. In addition, S4S has partnered with 2 other local
organizations to play wheelchair basketball on Saturday mornings. They
are constantly starting new initiatives, and are currently working with
Coaches Across Continents to design a new curriculum
for the coming year.
Volunteers:
Kevin Harrington, Vas Giahos, Tim Wheaton, Emmy Wheaton, Melanie
Baskind, Brian Suskiewicz
We want to thank everyone for all their help this past year. Coaches
Across Continents has set company records for the number of programs
assisted, number of coaches taught, number of children reached, and
number of communities and countries visited.
Your efforts have helped change lives and are continuing to improve
communities. To keep volunteers up to date on how their work continues
to impact others, we will be sending emails that highlight programs
from a specific country and their ongoing successes.
Meet our Partner Programs in Zimbabwe
Meet Bulldogs Sports Development Trust
1.What is your name and what is your organization? My name is Arron Mutede and of Bulldogs Sports Development Trust
2. What is the biggest message you try to teach your kids through the game of soccer? We try to teach that there is equal access and equal opportunity to maximize natural potential.
Meet Sport 4 Socialization1. What is your name and what is your organization? I am Onai Dhlakama and I am the adapted activity officer with Sport 4 Socialisation in Zimbabwe.
3. Who is your favourite soccer team? Manchester United
4. If you could meet any famous soccer person in the world, who would it be? Why would you want to meet them? I would like to meet Sir Alex Ferguson. I would like to learn how he consistently manages to motivate his team to keep abreast with the ever increasing competition trends in the world of soccer.
5. What is the thing you are looking forward to most about working with Coaches Across Continents? We are looking forward to learn from Coaches Across Continents in many ways, and hope to get some good suggestions for our coaching in general in our existing programs. More specifically we would like to learn the following:
*Biomechanical corrections for shooting and penalty taking since most athletes either shoot the ball over the goal posts or they might shoot the ball wayward to the sides of the goal posts.
*I would also like to learn the best attacking and defending formations as well as tactics.
*What to look for in athletes when selecting a team for different positions i.e. defenders, mid fielders as well as strikers.
*In a camping situation, what are some of practical motivational strategies that a coach can utilize to get all athletes and technical staff fired up and ready for even the greatest challenges in their carriers.
Meet our Coaches Heading to Cameroon, Zimbabwe and India
Meet Kevin Harrington
Favorite soccer team: Arsenal
Favorite player: Lionel Messi
Favorite movie: Wedding Crashers
Favorite food: Hamburger
Who will win Euro 2012? Spain
Funniest moment on the soccer field: In a co-ed league in 3rd grade, I was pushed off the ball by a girl on the other team and landed face-first in a pile of mud. I had to be pulled out of the game because I was so embarrassed that I refused to play anymore.
What you are most looking forward to with your volunteering? I am really looking forward to learning about the culture and everyday lives of the people of Africa and to impacting their lives in such a positive manner.
Interesting fact(s) about you: I speak some Portuguese.
Anything else you want us to put out in the blogosphere? (i.e. quote/hopes/dreams/favorite color/astrology sign?) My favorite quote is “Every problem is an opportunity”. I first heard it from my grandfather years ago and my dad has repeated it to me hundreds of times over the years.
I hope to some day develop my own start-up.
Kevin will first be working in Cameroon with the African Volunteer Football Academy for the Less Privileged (AVFAL), United Action for Children (UAC) and then in Zimbabwe with Sport 4 Socialization and Bulldogs Sport Development.
Meet Vas Giahos
Favorite soccer team: Barcelona
Favorite player: Ronaldinho (back in the day)
Favorite movie: The Sandlot (although Wedding Crashers is a close 2nd)
Favorite food: Pilafi (Greek rice)
Euro 2012: Greece!! (2004??)
My funniest moment on the soccer field was in a club game in high school when I was playing with a yellow card and blatantly fouled a kid. The ref subsequently went for his pocket and I simply saved him the time but walking off the field and toward the bench. The realm of play continued for a couple of minutes until my coach realized I wasn’t on the field and started screaming at me to get out there…apparently the ref didn’t actually give me a second yellow.
As far as this trip is concerned, I am looking forward to seeing a different perspective on the world and life in general. I am really hoping to make some sort of impact on the lives of some of the individuals that I interact with, and of course I am looking to have a great time along the way.
Interesting fact: I used to Greek dance competitively.
Vas will be working in Cameroon with the African Volunteer Football Academy for the Less Privileged (AVFAL) United Action for Children (UAC) and in Zimbabwe with Sport 4 Socialization.
Meet Jaren LaGreca
Favorite soccer team: Manchester United
Favorite player: Dani Alves
Favorite movie: Fight Club
Favorite food: Grandma LaGreca’s spaghetti
Who will win Euro 2012? Not England
Funniest moment on the soccer field: Scary soccer with fellow Coaches Across Continents volunteer Marisa Brown at Demonstration Elementary School in Monrovia, Liberia.
What you are most looking forward to with your volunteering? Watching the faces of kids light up when we show up to play soccer with them.
Interesting fact(s) about you: I volunteered with Coaches Across Continents last year in Zambia, Ghana, and Liberia.
Jaren will be working in India with Slum Soccer.
Meet Christina Hagner
Favorite soccer team: Well obviously Harvard Women’s Soccer…but Chelsea is pretty sweet too
Favorite player: Fernando Torres
Favorite movie: Tough call between Finding Nemo, Love Actually, and Gladiator
Favorite food: Chocolate
Who will win Euro 2012? SPAIN
Funniest moment on the soccer field: my nickname on the Harvard team was “hags” (a spinoff from my last name). Let’s just say some confusion was created whenever that last letter got left off…
What you are most looking forward to with your volunteering? Seeing the impact I make; the smiles; getting to know the local community
Interesting fact(s) about you: I can wiggle my ears
Favorite quote #1: “Stay foolish…stay hungry” – Steve Jobs
Favorite quote #2: “Shake and bake!” – Ricky Bobby
Christina will be working in Cameroon with the African Volunteer Football Academy for the Less Privileged (AVFAL).
Meet: Gina Wideroff
Favorite player: Sophia Legros
Favorite tv show: Seinfeld
Favorite food: Fresh out of the oven homemade chocolate chip cookies
Who will win Euro 2012? Italy
Funniest moment on the soccer field: Too many to recount, but here are a couple: We were playing BC, of course at BC, and Biz got stuck in a hard tackle, and although she was still on the ground, she blocked the next shot with her neck. It was a bit concerning at the time, but in retrospect we get a good laugh about it because Lizzy never failed to live up to her name, Bizness. Another moment came at a captain’s toss; a less personable ref went in for the pound rather than the handshake to introduce himself, so my reaction was to turn his pound into a snail. I guess that could check the embarrassing moment question.
What you are most looking forward to with your volunteering? All of the inherent experiences follow a Caucasian girl with a soccer ball at her foot in a foreign country. And trying to keep my GI tract in one piece.
Interesting fact(s) about you: The most productive part of my day occurs when I’m sleepwalking.
Anything else you want us to put out in the blogosphere? (i.e. quote/hopes/dreams/favorite color/astrology sign?) The Miami Heat will be 2012 NBA champions