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Parks & Rec Business
| Sports Spotlight Game On! By Fred Engh How U.S. parks and recreation departments can help bring the joy of sports to underprivileged youth in countries around the world If I had to venture a guess, I would say there is probably a 90 percent chance that any person reading this has played sports at some time in their lives. If you are in that 90 percent, there is little doubt that sports brought you and your friends a great deal of fun, as well as some experiences you’ll never forget. On a similar note, I would also say that when you were growing up, you were given some kind of ball as a holiday or birthday gift. If so, I am sure you must remember how exciting it was to immediately run out back and play with it. Unfortunately, not everyone is so lucky. Think about what it would have been like growing up if you never had a ball to throw around, or the opportunity to play sports. That’s the way it is for millions of children around the world. With this in mind we created the Game On! Youth Sports program and Global Gear Drive. Game On! seeks to bring the joy of sports and activity to underprivileged children in many nations, and we are able to provide equipment through the Global Gear Drive. Several months ago, we received a letter from Samson Nyendwa from Fringilla, Zambia, one of the countries that have implemented Game On! with great success. I wanted to share the letter with you because I think after reading Mr. Nyendwa’s letter addressed to the director of Global Gear Drive, you’ll have a greater appreciation for the real impact of the program. Letter: Dear Sir, We the poor, remote, rural, marginalized and neglected youths are hereby requesting from your Global Gear Drive program used youth sports equipment and other materials that we can be using here in rural villages so as to continue with our youth sports activities. We are a youth HIV/AIDS and sports rural community. Here in remote rural villages, we have formed different kinds of clubs, and are doing different kinds of sports activities. Within our zone (district) we have over 20 football teams, netball teams and over 30 different sports activities. We don’t have any equipment, even a football, and we are struggling to get even one football or a tennis ball. Could you please kindly send us urgently the following items: 1. Five footballs 4. Badminton rackets 2. Five netballs 5. Dart equipment 3. Two sets of jerseys Hoping from the positive response soonest from you. God bless you. — Samson Nyendwa I am sure Mr. Nyendwa’s words touched you as much as they did me. The reason that I am writing this column is that I truly believe it is you readers—the recreation professionals throughout America—who understand the significance of Mr. Nyendwa’s letter. You are the people who donate sporting equipment from your local recreation departments to show support for the Global Gear Drive. As stated by Bob Wilkinson, father of Sammy Wilkinson—my grandson, who died in a tragic accident at a Maryland recreation center, and for whom the foundation we’ve established to raise funds and ship Global Gear Drive equipment is named: “We’re changing the world for millions of kids one ball at a time.” It is America’s recreation professionals leading this important Global Gear Drive effort, and on behalf of all of the staff at the National Alliance For Youth Sports, we salute you! Fred Engh is the founder of The National Alliance For Youth Sports. For more information about the Global Gear Drive and how you can get involved, please e-mail gear@nays.org or kcowan@nays.org. |
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