Sports for Development

Sports for Development in BOGOTA!

Despite a notable layoff since our last blog post, Sports for Development continues to thrive and grow. Beyond continuing our work within the 4 communities in Santa Marta under regional director Adam Catterton, we have now expanded to a community on the fringe of Colombia’s capital city, Bogota. Additionally we have partnered with a growing national sport, and have upcoming projects and expansions on the horizon. In short, Sports for Development continues to grow thanks in large part to donations and support contributed by our wonderful long and short term volunteers, blog readers, and casual supporters!

Big City Life…

After the Gaira sports day in Santa Marta (see previous blog post below), I moved to Bogota, Colombia after securing a work visa that allowed me to stay in Colombia. This was obviously exciting for me on a personal level as I was not going to be kicked out of the country I love, but also for Sports for Development as it gave us the opportunity to expand to another city within Colombia for the first time in our programs history.

Warm up lap in Calera

Bogota is not just any city, by the way. With nearly 10 million inhabitants it is one of the largest cities in Latin America and as it contains a plethora of foreign businesses, recognizable  public figures (shakira?), emerging markets, and rich and active political and cultural history, is also considered as a significant global city.Since Sports for Development first began to initiate operations in Bogota in October we have successfully linked ourselves with an incredible organization, Healing Colombia (check link for website), which works in the community of Calera.

Calera sits on top of a mini-mountain that hovers over the eastern side of Bogota and is yet another one of Colombia’s “displaced zones”, which means although it functions and appears as a normal town (shops, restaurants, schools, houses…etc), they are not recognized by the government as an official town and therefore receive only minimal governmental support. This results in the town of Calera, which sports breathtaking views of the capital city, facing severe poverty and the many issues that accompany it such as lack of quality education, health and employment services, proper infrastructure and extra-curricular activity opportunities.

Playing “Pato Pato Ganso”

Before partnering with Sports for Development, Healing Colombia (HC) offered classes in music, dance and english to a group of more than 60 kids every saturday. Additionally, HC offers classes in financial management to adults within the community every tuesday night. HC has been doing amazing work in and around Bogota for over a decade, however despite originally having a sports program has not been able to offer sports activities to kids in Calera for more than 3 years. This is where our program has been able to form a thriving partnership with HC and make a positive impact on their already successful program. The kids of Healing Colombia range from 5-14 in age and despite their often difficult conditions maintain a genuine and positive outlook on life and have the energy, smiles and personality to make even the coldest hearts chuckle…and the unlimited potential that makes this work worth it.

2 Healing Colombia kids representing the future of Colombia Lax!

In addition to our work in Calera with Healing Colombia, SFD has become an official partner with the Colombian National Lacrosse Team (check link for facebook page). The team was formed only 4 months ago, but is growing quickly and the players are committed to SFD’s mission of providing educational sports opportunities to kids…allowing us to offer the kids we work with another new sport, new role models, and new opportunities.

Learning the fundamentals!

Our first “lacrosse day” with the kids took place 10 days ago when we bussed all 60 kids down to a park located in one of the nicer areas of the city. Many of these kids had never been within the city of Bogota and you could see from their wide eyes and big smiles just how impacted they were by the experience. With the help of 2 professional coaches/players from the United States, myself and the 30 men and women of the Colombian National Team, we led a clinic for the kids which included teaching fundamentals of lacrosse, playing a game with the kids, and having the national team play a scrimmage to show the kids what the sport was about. At the end of the day many of the kids were looking up to the National Team players as superheroes and many wanted to keep training with lacrosse so they could one day play on the national team as well.

Kids trying to tackle our guest coach, Ryan Rabidou, while saying thank you!

Look at that form!

Working in Bogota has brought new opportunities, as well as challenges, as SFD adjusts to the culture of a big city. There are more opportunities for partnerships, sponsors, and in country support, however basic logistics in a large city can prove to be difficult. Either way, SFD is committed to its mission and there are plenty of youth that crave the opportunity for organized sport here in Bogota. As usual, the amount that we can provide and expand relies heavily on the amount of support we receive. So, if you are reading this and believe in what we do, please think about making a donation to SFD or becoming a volunteer.

The National Team with the kids of Healing Colombia. Successful Clinic!

On behalf of all the staff and students of Sports for Development, THANK YOU!

Miles

Court Opening!

What your donations built

WE DID IT!

20 days ago we launched a campaign to raise the necessary funds to build a new, state of the art, outdoor multi-plex court in the community of Gaira, Santa Marta. We received publicity and financial support from a wide range of people, drawing donations from 8 countries and 30 individuals. Due to this generous support we successfully raised the funds,  were able to present the finished court and hold the first Gaira sports day on Wednesday, July 4th.

To call the day a success feels like an understatement. Being our first day in a new community, and my personal second to last day in Santa Marta, I was hoping the event would be a triumph for both Sports for Development and the community of Gaira, and my expectations were shattered. Our partner school, I.E.D. Simon Bolivar did a magnificent job organizing the sports day at the school, which was dedicated to the partnership with Sports for Development and the presentation of the court.

Students holding up one of the banners they made

I arrived at the school at 6:30am to already find more than 1000 students beginning to organize themselves in their respective grades, complete with their respective uniforms, in preparation for the parade around and through the streets surrounding the school.

Excited for the start of the parade!

The parade, including students ranging from 5-17 years old, would have been cute and endearing, if it were not so professional. Led by a banner and a markedly precise marching band and followed by a procession of each grade, many with their own personal banners, we marched through the streets for roughly 45 mins. As shop tenders and students from other schools looked on in approval and envy (respectively) the students and staff of I.E.D. Simon Bolivar marched with pride, and very impressive order.

The school marching band leading the parade

New Sports for Development national director, Adam Catterton, getting into the marching pattern

After the parade we arrived back at the school where the students maintained their team divisions, lining up on the new court. Alonso, the athletic director at I.E.D. Simon Bolivar, said a few words about the Sports for Development program and introduced both myself, and Adam Catterton, our new national director here in Colombia. The words of gratitude from Alonso on behalf of the school and the cascade of applause from the students was yet another reminder why we do the work that we do.

Students lined up during the singing of the national anthem before introductions were made

After all pleasantries had been taken care of the football tournament commenced on the court. Grade by grade teams took to the new muli-plex court, enjoying their first games with consistently shaped goals and full sized and inflated balls. The tournament had a fun, yet competitively charged atmosphere as the court was surrounded by staff, students, parents, and community members cheering on the athletes.

4th graders – Brazil vs. Argentina. Rivalry game in front of hundreds of spectators.

The energy and enthusiasm for the court was apparent, and I was told by numerous staff and students throughout the day how excited they were to use the new court for years to come. As the tournament continued under the more than capable oversight of Alonso, Adam and I used the remaining sports equipment we donated to the school (basketballs, jump ropes, tennis balls) to play a variety of games with a mixed collection of interested and intrigued students.

All in all, the day was not just a big step for I.E.D. Simon Bolivar, but for Sports for Development as well. Between the interviews with local radio and newspapers and the contacts made with community leaders within Gaira and Santa Marta, we were able to re-affirm our position within the region here, and create connections for possible future expansions.

Once again, a HUGE thank you to everyone who became involved on any level, big or small, with this project. From my personal friends and family who contributed the first funds back in December, 2011 to those that completed our goal by responding to our recent push, your involvement in the project is much appreciated and without a doubt contributed significantly to making this day happen, bringing the opportunity to play multiple sports (including my heart’s fancy, basketball!) and improving Gaira’s community.

See below for more pictures from the days events!

* Special thanks to United Kingdom olympic swimmer, Lizzie Simmonds, who after hearing of our project spread the word to her thousands of active followers. She will be competing in the 2012 Olympic games in the 200m backstroke.

The Sports for Development Gaira site team

A couple of 6th graders on the “Real Madrid” team…who couldn’t beat the Barcelona team on this afternoon

Parading through the streets

5th graders looking on at the matches on the new court, and waiting for their game

Sports for Development site assistant, Roberto, discussing the day with a school staff member during the parade

Gaira Court Project

Over the past 8 months Sports for Development has rapidly established itself as an integral part of 3 different communities around Santa Marta. The sports days are becoming local staples of the community life and as the volunteers gain experience each week and the kids become more accustomed, the values of the program are beginning to set deeper and the positive changes are becoming clear.

Halftime Talk

Due to this continued success and functionality, Sports for Development has spent the last 2 months planning for the expansion into a 4th community, the center of Gaira. Gaira is one of the largest suburbs of Santa Marta and although ripe with culture, history, and a vibrant population has also been riddled by crime and gangs throughout its past. Under-privileged communities such as Gaira that play host to an array of at-risk kids are where the largest impact can be made by educational programs such as Sports for Development.

Current court at school in Gaira. Rusted goals, plain blacktop and no hoops. Help us transform this.

Sports for Development is partnering with I.E.D. Simon Bolivar, one of the largest primary/secondary schools in the region to launch a sports program on the school grounds that will serve not just the students of the school, but the youth of the entire community as well. Although staffed with dedicated teachers and administrators, I.E.D. Simon Bolivar suffers from general lack of funding and has been unable to upgrade its sports court facilities from the rusted  and one dimensional fútbol court they have now. As part of the partnership with I.E.D. Simon Bolivar, Sports for Development is planning to build a new multiplex court facility on the school grounds that can accomodate basketball, fútbol, and vollyball and will serve as the ceremony stage at the school as well.

Example of a new multiplex court built by SierraDentro, our construction partners.

Upon the completion of this multiplex court Sports for Development will have its first ever permanent site in which to hold sports tournaments and other local events, as long as they do not fall within school hours. We have much appreciation for the generosity of Los Trupillos for allowing us to use their site during the last 8 months, but obtaining our own site only increases the expanse of events that we can offer and youth we can serve.

Some of the kids playing their first ever Rugby game

Private fundraising has been done to pay for part of the construction of the court, but we are going to need as much public support as possible in order to reach our fundraising goal and install the court in time for the next sports tournament. Through our partnership with SierraDentro, a local construction business, we have secured a discounted quote for the project and need only $1,000 more to complete it. This is an opportunity to build a permanent structure that promotes healthy and safe extra-curricular activities in a community that desperately needs more of these options.

Photo from the last sports day

We will be releasing more details about the fundraising campaign early next week on our facebook page, but if you want to get the momentum of the project going, we encourage you to support the campaign in what ever way you can. Whether you can donate a lot, a little, or simply just spread the word about the project and fundraising campaign, it would make a substantial impact on lives of the youth within the community of Gaira, both in the short, and long term.

You can click on the link below to make a donation. All donations will be used 100% to help us reach our fundraising goal.

Thanks!

Sports Day with Colombia Sin Fronteras

Libia, the director of C.S.F., overseeing Sports Day

As of now, Sports for Development is working in 3 communities surrounding the city of Santa Marta. Fundadores, Oasis, and Valle de Gaira. Each community houses a different vibe shaped by the environment that surrounds it and the people that fill it. Valle de Gaira is a peaceful hill community highlighted by the sweet charm of it’s people and the stunning views from it’s main road that serve as the backdrop to our field site.

We work closely with the foundation Colombia Sin Fronteras (C.S.F.). C.S.F. is a cultural center that focuses on enriching the lives of elementary school aged kids in the region through pre-school, literacy, mathematics, and cultural studies classes. C.S.F. is directed by a soft but sure-handed Santa Marta native, Libia Maria Charris, and is staffed by an Amazing group of volunteers that represent 5 countries.

Warming up with Donde Está El Torro

Horsing around after working hard

The kids of C.S.F. are energetic, inquisitive, friendly and dignified despite the under-privileged upbringings in a community that lives humbly without access to many basic infrastructures. The kids are grateful for the work of all volunteers involved and any volunteer who arrives at the community center is greeted by an attack of hugs and kisses that are quick to remind one why they love this work. Although the mix of eclectic personalities and preferences amongst the students can make your head spin, one of their smiles can just as quickly alleviate all anxiety and frustration.

The children love sports day, and have been exemplary in their willingness to learn other games, drills and sports beyond their ultimate passion of fútbol.

Charlie introducing Rugby to the kids. NOT American Football.

Charlie and myself have formed a weekly schedule that was created with the intention of bringing organization to each sports day and introducing the kids to a wide range of different activities that work on a range of factors involved with physical exercise.

For example, stretching is an important and stressed part of each day. Teaching kids about the need to prepare the body for physical activity in order to avoid injury and soreness may not be as fun as throwing the ball in the middle of the field, but it is just as important as the fun that they have. Values of teamwork, fair play, and sportsmanship are emphasized throughout the relay races, mini-games, skill drills, instruction and scrimmages. All of the students are eager to play, however are not used to playing sports under the guidance of structured programs and value lessons.

Rules of the Game; Kids being reminded of the importance of Honesty and Fair Play

This unfamiliarity can lead to issues related to un-sportsmanship and fair play, however any issues that come up serve as teaching platforms for the students to improve their communication and conflict resolution skills.

This last Friday marked yet another successful, entertaining and enjoyable day. The kids worked hard and followed rules during the relay races designed by Charlie and participated well in the new sports they have been learning; Rugby and “PassBall” (a game that uses skills from basketball…but is adapted for an area without hoops). The kids are getting excited for the sports tournament at the end of the month (March 31st) and are working hard to improve their individual and team skills during each Friday Sports Day.

-Miles

Always hydrate after physical activity!