Using Sports to Empower Kids in a South African Township

Andrew Schleeter is a Connect-123 youth developement and sports intern in Cape Town.  He shares with us some insights gained by working with an organization that supports and empowers youth through sports and mentorship in one of the most disadvantaged communities in the area.

There are many facets that make up the townships just outside of Cape Town, South Africa. Often times all that is mentioned is the gang activity, violence, crime, poverty, HIV/AIDS and drug/alcohol abuse, among numerous other bad connotations. This makes up the majority of headlines and therefore shape the publics perspective of life in the townships; however, it is not the whole picture, this is what I have experienced the community first hand. The reality of life in the townships is hardly what the headlines suggest.

Throughout my time playing basketball, coaching and mentoring youth in Crossroads, widely recognized as the most dangerous township in the Western Cape, I have been overwhelmed by the kindness and gratitude expressed to me by this community. I cannot walk into the basketball gym without kids running up to me for “high fives” or hugs. The vibe is infectious in this community, and despite the shocking sights of poverty and hunger, I have never encountered a community so full of life and energy. It is incredible what people here value over anything else in life: each other. It is the spirit of Ubuntu that holds this community together. Ubuntu is an African philosophy focusing on peoples allegiances and relations with one another. More simply put, “I am what I am because of who we all are.”

While coaching a U14 boys practice, I had a moment that absolutely changed my perspective of my experiences in Crossroads. The boys had to run up and down the court two times in 22 seconds, what we call a suicide in basketball terms. They had tried and failed three times already, and nearly to the point of collapsing, the boys all joined hands together so as not to leave anyone behind. They were going to succeed or fail together. This time, the boys made it under 22 seconds. What may seem like a small feat, I saw as an incredible triumph. This is really just a metaphor for how the people in this community get by living under extremely harsh circumstances. I have never met happier people in my life.

The Crossroads Community Center is packed with youth everyday who participate in soccer and basketball activities, or are choreographing some sort of cultural song and dance. It is a beautiful thing to be apart of and watch unfold everyday. While this community still faces many challenges, the work that my organization does is instrumental in the future success of the youth in this community.

I see the impact that basketball and soccer have on the youth in this community everyday. To compliment this, my organization also teaches what we call “Skills 4 Life” which is a curriculum that has been implemented to teach the youth the seven tools that we believe are necessary to achieve success in their lives. The seven tools are as follows: Self-Esteem, Self-Awareness, Sense of Humor, Integrity, Responsibility, Focus and Ubuntu. The impact that basketball and soccer have on this youth in this community, in tune with the “Skills 4 Life” program, is incredible. Players leave this program with the tools they need to succeed in life as well as a support system that they often do not have at home.

There is a bad stigma surrounding the townships where many believe it is unsafe to go there because you are an outsider, and because of this, you will be a target for violence. I object to this, and after spending two months here everyday, I have never felt so welcomed by a community. It is an outpouring of appreciation and gratitude that I experience working here, and while the dangerous side of things is certainly real and should not be underestimated, the work that is being done here is making huge changes. It is life changing to be apart of somethings like this, something that is completely the opposite of my own reality. This place has changed me, it has changed the way I view the world.

To hear more about Andrew’s work and his experience in Cape Town, check out his blog.