Background
Cometsa Applied Sport Academy Establishment Guidelines is an initiative based on the philosophy of Cometsa empowerment projects. It is the empowerment and development of the members of the community through sport and education. It is the integrated and holistic development of the individuals and their community based organisations. The emphasis is on knowledge transfer and exchange between rural, urban and peri-urban individuals and communities. Cometsa uses the most loved sporting codes, in a specific community to mobilise the people of all age groups and genders to live a holistic life and participate in sport and educational activities.
We lead the individuals and communities to self-empowerment through practical learning programmes. The model is responsive to the education system of the country. It seeks to attract the youth back to the institutions of learning. It reinstates and promotes the culture of learning through sport activities. Participation in sport by all the citizens of the country builds a healthy society. This program is driven and entrenched by the slogan: The Mind. The Journey. The Destiny.
Objectives
Cometsa Applied Sport Academy Establishment Guidelines help the process of introducing Community Based Sport Academies to achieve the following objectives:
- To encourage participation in structured sport programmes at the centres and their surrounding communities
- To combat crime and drug abuse by participating in sport activities
- To bring back enthusiasm in sport
- To build relationships between the schools/colleges and communities through sport
- To maximise the utilisation of public and private resources and know-how in sport
- To promote professions in sport
- To restore dignity to education through sport
- To create culture of respect in the centres and communities through sport
- To eliminate vandalism in the campuses and communities by participating in sport activities
- To create and maintain a culture of learning through sport
- To develop trainers, coaches, administrators, managers and leaders in sport
- To market the participating schools/colleges through sport
- To achieve the economies of scale among the participating schools/colleges and communities
- To contribute to the development of sport in Southern Africa
- To promote diversity and cultural understanding among the candidates in sport activities
- To position the participating schools/colleges in the communities through inter-schools/colleges sport activities
- To reach out to communities in need through sport
- To make the centres/villages the sources of expertise in all aspects of sport
- To attract the national and international sport legends to the centres/villages as guests of honour, development facilitators, coaches, advisors, mentors, role models and motivators of the students and their lecturers, but also for their (the legends) own further development at the centres/villages
- To provide opportunities for the sport volunteers to practise their skills
- To link the centres with the remote rural areas of South Africa through sport activities
Activities
Cometsa Applied Sport Academy Guidelines recommends the following activities for each Community Based Sport Academy:
- Sport development clinics
- Open day sport tournaments
- Community sport games
- Class room based open lectures in sport administration, management and leadership
- Sport development conferences, seminars and workshops
- Hosts to national and international professional sport personalities (current and legends)
- Sport exchange programmes between the centres/villages and other organisations in Southern Africa and abroad
- Undertakes overseas fact finding sport missions and benchmarks
- Fund raising sport activities at the centres/villages
- Branding and promotion of the identities of the centres/villages through sport activities
- Sport training and coaching programmes at the centres/villages
- Attract the interest of the South African Football Association (SAFA), National Soccer League, Professional Soccer League, South African Professional Footballers Union, Department of Sport & Recreation, Department of Basic Education, Department of ighHHHigher Education & Training, and other relevant national, provincial and local associations and bodies
Benefits for Community Based Sport Academies
The following benefits accrue to the Community Based Sport Academies and their surrounding Centres/Villages:
· Legitimacy in the public
· Entrenchment of positive image
· Branding of the centres/villages
· Attainment of black economic empowerment credentials
· Attraction of quality lecturers and administrators
· Attainment of corporate social responsibility credentials
· Building of cultural bridges
· Attraction of quality participants
· Promotion of the centres/villages by the members of Cometsa
· Opportunities to fund raise through diversified sport activities at the centres/villages
· Benefit from Cometsa’s networks with local and international corporations and organisations
· Positive publicity by being associated with Cometsa partners
· Opportunity to attract corporate sponsorships due to Cometsa chairman’s (Sam Tsima) credibility in the South African corporate world and growing Cometsa brand.
· Opportunity to attract the interest and earn recognition from the South African sport associations due to Cometsa chairman’s history of participation in national development activities, especially at the villages level
· Opportunity of becoming one of the most successful sports centres/villages in Southern Africa
· Opportunities for the participants to participate in the national sport teams and earn national colours
· Enhancement of the quality of life at the centres/villages through sport activities
· Creation of healthy learning environment at the centres/villages through participation in sport activities
· Sourcing of players, members, trainers, coaches, administrators, managers, and leaders from the centres/villages
· The centres/villages are the sources of learning programmes for the communities
· Identification with other institutions of learning puts the centres/villages in a different class
· Members and players become motivated to learn further
· Cometsa becomes an organisation of high literacy level
· Preparation of the players to cope with the challenges facing professional athletes
Cometsa support through Sport Mentoring, Coaching & Advisory
MENTORSHIP: Cometsa mentors and advisors are available to establish direct and indirect relationships with the graduates and their sport Clubs’ players, managers and leaders on a nominal fee, to monitor the application of the acquired knowledge. They will help the graduates, managers and leaders to achieve their sport objectives and cope with the challenges that are encountered in their business of sport.
ADVISORY: Cometsa mentors and advisors, will on an on-going basis, advice the graduates on how to cope with the pressures of being the professional sport practitioners. This service will be coordinated by Cometsa Sport Development Agency office.
MOTIVATIONAL SPEECHES AND TALKS: The field consultants at Cometsa Sports Development Agency, on request by the clients, organise and coordinate regular sport motivational sessions at various regions, on a nominal fee. Cometsa mentors and advisors present motivational speeches and talks to the players, members, supporters, fans, managers and leaders of sport organizations.
SPORT CLINICS: Cometsa Sports Development Agency sport development specialists and practitioners undertake trips to the regions to offer sport clinics, on a nominal fee. The purpose is to assist the sport trainers and coaches with their training and coaching programmes.
SPORT COACHES ASSISTANCE: Cometsa Sport Development Agency plays key role in the development of coaches of the various sporting codes throughout the country. The clients, members and associates have access to our experts whenever they need their help, on a nominal fee.
PUBLIC SESSIONS: Cometsa mentors and advisors hold Public Sessions with the members of the public on the topic of Sport Development, Management and Leadership. This includes talks on radios, televisions, newspapers and/or by addressing public forums.
