Using Sport to raise awareness for Climate Change! The PLAY HANDBALL Supercup is unique in its kind and is the first Handball & Environmental Tournament Series in South Africa.

After two successful annual events in 2016 & 2017, with over a thousand children reached from both Cape Town and Johannesburg, PLAY HANDBALL ZA (PHZA), in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), hosted the PLAY HANDBALL Supercup 2018 on the 27th of October 2018 at Hindle Road Primary School, Delft, Cape Town, South Africa. The aim of the PLAY HANDBALL Supercup series is to reach out with sport to the youth, bring youth from various schools and cultural backgrounds together and to enhance environmental awareness among our youth in combination with playing handball. Just over 150 children from 12 school and community organisation teams from Cape Town and surrounding areas competed in an U14 mixed team tournament as well as environmental activities and tasks.

The competition was touch with Franschhoek Community Sports Centre (FCSC) and Gateway Primary School teams dominating the games during the tournament. These two teams ended up in the Supercup finals, with Franschhoek taking the 1st Place of the 2018 tournament. Phillip Sihwanya, Development Manager of the Western Province Handball Association, was scouting the players on tournament day and sighted Likhona from FCSC as best player of the day and Kevin from Hindle Road Primary as best goalkeeper. Both players got rewarded with some handball apparel and goodies, as well as entry tickets sponsored by the Two Oceans Aquarium. “The tournament was a lot of fun for our kids, there are not a lot of chances to compete in handball. I hope in the future we could have a Western Cape Handball League”, winner’s team coach Thabang Mphatoe.

Ranking of the U14 Mix tournament:

1st Place: Franschhoek Community Sports Centre,
2nd Place: Gateway Primary School,
3rd Place: Hindle Road Primary School and
4th Place: German International School;
Other teams that were present: Africa Jam Community Outreach, Levana Primary School, Zerilda Primary School I & II, Masonwabe Primary School, Teen & Child Development, Abedare Primary School, Leiden Primary School and The Hague Primary School.

Apart from the hype of the handball tournament and games, participants were encouraged to keep the venue clean. Therefore, PHZA co-operated with Waste-ED, an environmental organisation that leverages the event with their expertise and know-how. Waste-ED and PHZA work together to ensure that all handball events are hosted in a climate-neutral way. This means zero waste to landfill as well as using reusable or easily recycled local products at the events. On the day of the tournament Waste-ED manned and used their 3 ‘bin’ system station to educate the participants on items being thrown away and ensuring there was proper waste separation. With over 150 participants we were able to compost 5kgs of food waste and dirty paper/ cardboard, recycle 8kgs of clean paper and plastic picked up around the venue and diverted 9kgs of non-recyclables from landfill by making 7 ecobricks (two 5L and five 2L bottles) on the day. The youth that took part in the recycling and clean-up activities at the tournament got the opportunity to enter a raffle and win exciting prizes, and the two most environmental active participants got rewarded as well with entry tickets sponsored by the Two Oceans Aquarium, some handball apparel and goodies. The winning team, Franschhoek Community Sports Centre, received one of the most exciting prizes – a ride each with the aerial-cable car up Table Mountain sponsored by Table Mountain Arial Cableway. “The kids are so excited about this price. Most of them have never been on Table Mountain.”, Coach Thabang. Nicola Scholl, Founder and Director of PLAY HANDBALL, values the tournament series as a successful integration of Education and Sport: “The enjoyment and enthusiasm shown by the children on the handball field and beyond at the eco-trail and recycling station proves that our concept works”.

The whole handball & environment programme emphasis on educating young South Africans to live more sustainably and environmentally responsible within their communities. Therefore, on 13th, 19th and 20th September 2018 teachers and coaches were first empowered with a train-the-trainer workshop in handball coaching and environmental issues to carry out the training back in their respective schools. Educational modules include information on how to use resources, such as water and energy more wisely and how to reduce, reuse and recycle waste. The EDUCATIONAL TRAINING MANUAL FOR BALLGAMES AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION “PLAY FAIR for the ENVIRONMENT!” developed by Play Handball in co-operation with the German Sports University in Cologne was launched at this year’s tournament.

Text: Play Handball News

More in this category: Adopt-A-Club launches fundraising campaign for the Bo-Kaap Handball Club » Start of Handball and Volunteer Season » Play Handball Supercup in Kenya » Friendly Tournament at the Observatory Junior School » Martin Bergers handball experience in Africa » Linah tells about her experiences as a participant of the Trilateral Youth Coaches Encounter » Christian tells of his experiences as a volunteer in Lamberts Bay » Lisza reports from her experiences as a volunteer in Cape Town » Mid-term seminar with our weltwaerts-volunteers » Lars tells of his experiences as a volunteer in Darling » Kick-off-Weekend of the Trilateral Youth Coaches Exchange » Re-launch of the Weltwärts Volunteer Program in Kenya and South Africa. » Community Talk with Louise Barends from Darling Outreach Foundation in South Africa » Play Handball Corona Aid helps over 1000 people in South Africa and Kenya. » Midterm-Seminar and Partner Meeting » Take action for the future – the 4th SuperCup in Cape Town inspires 150 kids to take action for climate change » Hanna reports from her experiences in 2 different communities around Cape Town » Press Release – Play Handball SuperCup 2019 in Cape Town » Laura tells of her experiences as a volunteer in Cape Town » From Blomberg to the Cape – As volunteer coaches in South Africa » Meet The Volunteer: Sophia experiences township life in Jo’burg » “I am, You are, We are South Africa!” – Ubomi Children Camp July 2019 » Interview with our Swiss volunteer Daniel Schettler » Handball is an universal language – Play Handball at Karookop Primary School » Interview with Thabang from Franschhoek Community Sport Centre » Supercup inspires over 450 children in Africa » Play Handball Supercup 2018 in Benoni » Super handball action at the Sinaba Stadium in Daveyton » Karibu Kenya! Play Handball Supercup in Kisumu » Handball for UNSDG13 Climate Action – Workshop & Clean-Up » Donation Campaign of Kim Ekdahl Du Rietz brings about 30 000 Euro » Interview with the volunteer Matti Schubert » Learners embrace new sport » Handball is a new sport in the farming area of Piketberg » First ever PLAY HANDBALL Junior Cup in Stellenbosch » VOLUNTEER INTERVIEW with SIMON UTTKE » Get your own Calendar of “Memories of Joy and Unity with Handball” for your donation of 25€ and more » Conclusion ‘Play Handball’ 2017 » Using Sport to raise awareness for Climate Change! » Interview with Michael Haaß (HC Erlangen, World Champion 2007) – “Handball and Sport in general open doors for your life.” » The 1st climate-neutral handball tournament series in South Africa » PLAY HANDBALL SuperCup on the 29th of October 2016, in Johannesburg and on the 19th of November in Cape Town, » PLAY HANDBALL SuperCup on the 24th of April 2016 at the German International School in Tamboerskloof, Cape Town. » STREET UP YOUR HANDBALL – Developing communities around South Africa with and through handball » SolarWorld powers Handball in South Africa » THE START OF A NEW HANDBALL VOLUNTEER PROGRAM » GIRLS HANDBALL DAY – TRAIN WITH THE PROS PROMOTING fun, health, passion and multi-cultural cohesion » Halftime for the handball development project of the German Olympic Sports Confederation in partnership with the South African Handball Federation in the Western Cape » Partnership for handball development between Germany and South Africa: Short-term handball development project financed by means of German Federal Foreign Office »
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