Henning in Soweto

Meeting at Ipelegeng in Soweto. Henning Svendsen together with Blitz Academy.
For some days he is running a course with the staff of Blitz.
In this photo he is together with Tshepiso Masenamela and Kgomotso Motetsoe.

Meeting with Blitz about Sport future in Soweto

The Blitz planned Soweto Sport Time Out took place as it was planned.
We invited 30 participant and we had 15 attending the workshop. The spread of sporting codes that where represented where Football, Handball, Basketball, Volleyball and Tennis.
The Agenda was as follows
1. Opening and welcome by Thabiso
2. Introductions (by All)
3. Introduction of Blitz by Wire
4. The state of Sports in Soweto
5. Refreshment break
6. Groups creations
7. Discussions about challenges in sports.
8. Closure and lunch


Groups were given a code to discuss its challenges. Basketball, football and handball.
After the discussions the group would come in front to present their sporting codes challenges.
First group football raised the following challenges:
1. Education - key to development of the coaches and players.
2.Equipment - in this day and age proper training equipment (balls) and clothing (soccer boots) so that a player can excel.
3. Nutrition - if a child does not have proper food she won't be able to concentrate.
And other groups had some kinds of challenges.
There is an agreement amongst the delegates that we need to have leagues to encourage participation and foster the spirit of working together.
The meeting requested Blitz to give feedback by organising another workshop early next year.
We are looking forward to working on the recommendations that came out of this session.

Soweto Sport Time Out

The Soweto Sport Time Out is on track and the idea is to see if we are on the right track with sport and its benefit to society.

We will be answering the following questions

• Are we developing the champions from Soweto
• 
  
• Can we produce competitors of national standard
• 
  
• Are we knowledgeable on the promotion of elite participants
• 
  
• What is the Importance of sporting organisation in Society.

We as Blitz will like to come out of this workshop with an understanding of the value of education in Soweto Sport, and introduce the concept of sport and community development through education education.

Women in focus

Invite by South African Football Association.
Aretha 'Wire' Tshabalala and Tshepiso Masenamela have been invited to a former women's national team seminar . The seminar was be held at the new Safa house offices on the 19th of November 2010.
The topic – how can the veterans help to sustains and revive the sport among women?
Wire's view:
”I'm glad that I'm have been invited. It was nice to meet with my former team mates. The structure was planned for the future of the girls football. This Safa plan will work well with Blitz plan for next year. The year of the women.”
Next meeting will be on the 16 Dec 2010.
Wire

The next event for BLITZ will be on the 04 December 2010 Soweto Sport Time-Out a conference on the state of sport in Soweto.

On the other side the Gauteng Province has reshuffled its cabinet, Gauteng sport has a new MEC Member of Executive Counsel. Mr. Lebogang Maile, he is young and we hope his energy will bring change Congratulations MEC

More kids from the schools

From the school program last week. It was fun for the leaders and kids.
Blitz did it again.
Wire (Aretha Tshabalala) would like to thank all the leaders for taking care.
We had 60 kids and five leaders.
Wire, Thabiso, Tumi, Tshepiso and Tshepo.



News from South Africa

Cosatu, the government workers union that negotiated on behalf of workers, (e.g teachers) that went on strike in August, have accepted the Government offer of R800 and 7% wage increase.
This is good news for the students, mostly the grade 12 students.
Even if they didn't have the full year education, due to the World cup and the strike, they will be sitting for their final exams.
Wire

Grunden-training

Last Wednesday I had training with the Grundens.
We started at 11h15 am in Moletsane Sports Complex. We played balancing games and a little bit of Inabandi.
Eunice, the teacher, helped me since I was alone. I had to explain the games to her before we started. It was fun and the boys only wanted to kick the ball and it was not on the menu.
I have promised that this week they will play football.
The ladies were running around and they wanted to go to their school because they thought it was lunch time.
But we (Eunice and Wire) had to show them the time.
Wire

The great success of Soweto Football Festival

The second Soweto Football Festival (SFF) was a great success.

For Blitz Academy, the 640 players, the referees and the leaders.

And for Moletsane Sports Complex as well.

As you can see from the photos it was a great weekend.

The festival took place 24-26 September, but the preparations started long time before. The first meetings for planning we had already in the end of the summer.

Since we arranged the first SFF last year we had some experience that we could use, we also had a database with the teams from last year.

Planning

On the 24th August booking of the field was made.

29th August Thabiso Masilo and Stapia Mokoena went out to deliver the SFF invitations to teams and Wire called the teams that played on the first SFF last year.
20 September was a meeting with Blitz-leaders that were going to be on the team that was going to run the festival.

During our meeting we decided on the age groups that were boys u/14, u/16, u/18 and 20/over on a knock-out system.

All the games were played for an hour (2x30). Eight teams per age group gave us 32 teams that played 16 games for the first round.

The Blitz crew

Wire – coordinator.

Thabiso Mifi – assistant coordinator.

Penny – referee.

Tshepiso – referee.

Tshepo – referee.

Tumi – score taker.

Gopolang – catering.

Thabiso – event manger.

Theo – photographer.

Meeting with the coaches

20th september at lunch time we had a meeting with coaches that have registered their clubs/teams to play in the festival. Coaches were given rules to guide them for the games. They were 14 coaches in total.

Every coach and player had a guideline of what is expected of them so that the game play according to Blitz plan.

Parents and friends were watching

There were 640 players that took part in the second Sff and there were two female referees that took charge of most of the games.

There were parents and friends of some kids that watched the games.

Every morning the Blitz-crew had a short meeting to get new information for the day ahead .

Team work from the crew and cooperation from the coaches problems we solved on the spot.

The female referees were the best

Trophies and medals were given to winners and medals were given to the runner-ups on all divions.

After the price giving ceremony we had to answer questions about "will there be the next Soweto football festival?

Can they play the point system games next year?

And the best compliment was the female referees, they are the best.

We are all the winners in Soweto Football festival

Zondi bay.

Protea United.

Soweto Football Festival finals were held at Moletsane Sports Complex on the 26 September 2010.

The first final u/14
Winter Roses vs Sancho Rangers
4-7 penalties
The game ended in a 0-0 draw

U/16
Sancho Rangers vs Protea United
5-1
Goals: Veli Nhlapo (3). - Thami Maseko
Skhumbuzo
Thuli Nciza

U/18
Zondi Bay vs Zondi Heroes
2-1
Goals: Daniel Khuse. - Basil Thompson Ntsiki Pam

20/over
Protea United vs Zondi Bay
5-7

Zondi bay's goal keeper was the man to watch on this finals. He was the captain and a goalkeeper.

Today are the finals

Soweto football festival is played at Moletsane sport complex this weekend.
Today are the finals, played like this:
Teams playing are:
Under 14
Winter roses vs Sancho rangers
Under 16
Sancho rangers vs Protea united
Under 18
Zondi heroes vs Zondi bay
20 /over
Protea united vs Zondi bay
Veterans
Drunken stars vs Zondi heroes
In the team photo is Zondi bay and Zondi heroes that will meat in the under 18 finals.

Blitz-meeting with coaches

Today Blitz had a meeting with coaches that are going to take part in our second annual Soweto Football Festival. The meeting was conducted by Wire, Penny and Thabiso Mifi.
14 coaches attended. During the meeting they (coaches) were told and given rules pamphlets so that they know what is expected from them. e.g -all the juniors must have proof for their age.
Questions were asked by the coaches and they were answered by the Organizing commity. The commity lead by Wire with the help of Penny and Thabiso Mifi.

Grunden Boys from Soweto

My name is Eunice Ratsoma.
I volunteer (teacher) at Thuto ke lebone disabled center and it´s been ten years now working with the disabled.
I love this people and I mean real love. I feel happy and fulfilled.
Blitz makes a difference to this kids because they always feel happy when they are with Wire and the crew.
This means a lot for us and ever since we met the Blitz leaders there is a lot of games been played by us (students).

Soweto Football Festival this weekend

Blitz Academy are coming closer and closer to Soweto Football Festival, that will take place in the end of this week. There will be more meetings with the staff before it starts.
In this meeting Phillimon, Floyd, Tumi, Stapia, Gopolang, Wire, Tshepo, Mpho and Thabiso were present.
The members gave report of teams that they invited for the SFF and we are sitting at 20 teams and counting.

Strike has effected Blitz

After the succesfull World Cup other things have happened in South Africa.
There has been a strike that has made it impossible for Blitz Academy to run the school program for a while since schools in Soweto have been closed.
Mostly workers that works for the government (teachers, hospitals nurses) strikes for better pay and housing allowances. They need 8 percent for the salary increase and R1000 for housing subsidy.
During the strike kids were told not to go to schools and patients had to turn back home with less medication. That is when soldiers where posted to hospitals and clinics to attend the emergencies.
Few teachers did try to help students by forming study groups where they will revise their syllabus and continue with what is left in their studies.
The matric student had suffered more because they were supposed to write their preliminary examination to prepare for the year ending finals.
Due to the strike the government says there will be no September holidays for students so that they can recover with their studies.
The strike was suspended for 21 days and if the government don't meet the workers demands they will go further with strike again.
Wire

Small Gothia Cup in Soweto

In 2004, after participating in the program Kick Off with IF Väster, we had the opportunity to participate in the Gothia Cup, the biggest youth tournament in the world.
This tournament inspired us to have a flagship project at Blitz Academy with the same focuse.
In 2009 we hosted the first such tournament at a small scale and we called it Soweto Football Festival (SFF).
The first tournament had 36 team registering and we used 5 sport field and had 3 days to host the tournament.
We are going to send invitations to teams for the 2nd annual SFF and we will be using the 5 football fields in Soweto around Moletsane. The teams that will participate will be 8 per division and we are planning to have 5 divisions.
We will be playing for 3 days on the 24 to the 26 of September most of the teams are the ones that participated in our first SFF.
We are confident that we will have a successful event.
Tomorrow, on Friday 3rd September, we are meeting the leaders to brief and give tasks for preparation of SFF.

”Blitz makes a difference”

My name is Itumeleng Kau and I live in Naledi ext 2 (Rdp). I live with my Mom, brother and my two daughters.
I think Blitz is a good thing for the kids because it keeps kids away from drugs, alcohol, teenage pregnancy ,crime and other challenges that youth face.
Since I'm a parent my self and have grown up in Soweto , I have a clear picture of how the youth of my community live, so Blitz makes a difference by teaching them different sports and also the responsibility towards their health.

What motivated me to be part of Blitz is that I want to make a difference in my community. Been part of the Blitz family exposed me to other things like sport and women empowerment. Working the mental challenged people is fun yet sometimes challenging and you can also be attached to them.
I love what we do at Blitz even thou I would not be there all the time. When ever I'm free I will dedicate my time there (Blitz).

Cold winter in Soweto

Winter is still on and this week we have -1 and -4.
But that does not keep the kids away from the school holiday program that we (Blitz) do with the Hub (Gauteng provincial government) in partnership.
We had +/- 40 kids from around Moletsane where our office is based. Due to this cold we don't have a stable number, sometimes we will have 12-15 but that does not let us down.
Since its cold we couldn't have the Grunden Bois of Soweto because there were on winter recess. Our training with them (Grundens) will resume on the last week of August.
Wire and Stapia

Hlompho came back for more sport

Hlompho Molefe

13 years old boy living in Soweto on location called Tladi.

I go to a school called Lumelang primary school and I live with my Mother, three brothers and my granny.

Sport is my love more especially since I was involved in a Blitz program last year. During that time I was exposed different sporting codes like handball and basketball.

I think sport is a good thing for us youth.

Since I was in the first group and I liked it , I decided to come back for more and I was welcomed warmly by our coaches. Doing sport gives me an opportunity to get call-ups from different national teams.

I enjoy basketball.

The coaches are nice and they have patience. All in all the coaches make doing\playing sports fun.

Lesedi likes Inabandy and Blitz

My name is Lesedi Mochocho , I'm 10 years old boy and I live with my Mom, Dad and my little sister in Naledi (Soweto).

I attend school at Mochochonono primary school and I'm at Grade 3.

I love soccer and I enjoy playing basketball. For the duration of the school program I had fun learning different sporting codes such as Inabandy and netball. We grew up knowing that netball is for sisi's (girls) but now we know that sports can be played by everyone.

I always can't wait for Tuesday so that I can go to the field to learn, play and meet my coaches again.

I wish to come back again when Blitz do the school program.

Please don't stop doing the training.

I love Blitz.

Stapia loves the Blitz work

My name is Mpho "Stapia" Mokoena.

I stay in Moletsane in Soweto with my older brother and the other brother is in Protea Glen. Grow up playing football like any kid in the street and never reached higher level.

I spend most, if not all, my days at Blitz, doing files or teaching kids other sporting codes.

Since Blitz is doing what I love most, "sports", I'll always love sports. I do voluntary work at Blitz and so I do outreach programmes.

Blitz is important to me cause we do what we love. I wish I could tell about the future but I can not. Blitz can have a big impact in Soweto if we work harder than now.

I have few friends Sweden and it feels great.

Bafana's exit from World Cup is not a surprise for me, cause it was to big for them.

Interview with another young girl

The World Cup is coming closer and closer to the final game.
Blitz Academy has been working with kids together with a hub during the World Cup and will go on with the school program when the big party is over.
Today we present another one of the participants of the school program:
Boipelo Morebane, an eight year old student in the third grade at Mochochonono Primary School in Moletsane Soweto.
”I live with my Grandma and granpa from my fathers side and my two siblings.
I sing in the school choir and its nice.
I feel that if I was belonging to a sport club it would be good for me.
I love netball and it was so nice playing it.
The coaches that trained us made us have fun during the program (everyday). Each day we have them that means fun, fun, fun. Twice in the program we talked about Hiv\Aids and we had fun doing it.
Please don't stop the program.”

Anders Andersson and his crew play for Bafana Bafana

The people at the school office of Älvsborg, a part of Gothenburg, show their support for Bafana Bafana during the game against France.

Swedish World Cup-visitors at Blitz

Blitz had two visitors from Sweden.
One was Johan Orrenius a journalist from Swedish newspaper Expressen/GT and the other was the boss of the Swedish under 21national team Jörgen Lennartsson.
Johan was interviewing young boys at Moletsane sport complex about our sensational young player by the name of Simphiwe Tshabalala.
He was also interested in our work at Blitz.
Wire and Stapia took Johan for a brief tour to our office before he headed for a game in Ellis park stadium.
Blitz had also the pleasure of hosting Jörgen Lennartsson in Soweto and it was cool.
He is quiet an opinionated person and gave us advice on how to get our play grounds to be in good condition.
It was an interesting visit and we took him to the Openhimer tower, the Hector Pieterson museum and a drive to see best and west of Soweto. Over all it was a very nice visit.

Blitz watching Messi at Soccer City

On the 17th of june I got a call from Sakkie saying that the Moletsane Cluster (Hub) is offering their stake holders two tickets to watch a World cup game (Argentina vs Korea) at Soccer city stadium. Blitz formed a partnership with the Hub for anti kids trafficking during the World cup.
Watching the worlds best player (Messi) was my cherry on top moment and I'm glad to have shared that with my friend(Stapia).
Wire and Stapia we went with Thabiso to the stadium.
It was a dream come true for me since I tried to buy the tickets before but I could not succeed.
We had fun and the atmosphere was electrifying.

Wire

David Lega plays for Bafana Bafana

June 16 – a special day in Soweto

Today is June 16, Youth day in Soweto.
Today, 34 years ago, the uprising against apartheid started.
In this article you will meet the uncle of Wire (the boss at the Blitz-office).
He was there when it started.
This is his story.

My name is Brian Tshabalala.
I live in one of Soweto's suburbs called Protea Glen.
I studied at Morris Isaacson where the student uprising started boycotting the Afrikaans as our first language. We were made to study all our subjects in afrikaans and we did not like it since we were under oppression.
The student organized a protest march to make our consent heard but things did not go well. It was June 16 1976 Morris Isaacson when it all started. Some kids were shot by police and Hector Pieterson was one of them. Some of our fellow students had to go on hiding (exile) because police were looking for them.
In 1979 february I had to go to exile too.
I landed in Botswana were I found some South Africans in Brouhurst (Gaborone) at a village called Otse (farm) and it was a PAC struggle Camp. We had to choose between education or military training and I chose military training. We trained from 1979-1980 in November. In 1981 I went to Zimbabwe for further training and I went back to Botswana in May\June.
After that we were deported back to our country (South Africa).

It is good for us to host the World cup, the biggest football Tournament in the world, for unity and prosperity. For other countries is to experience the beauty, hospitality and to learn the notion of Ubuntu that was kept away from them by apartheid.
We wish to win this cup for unity sake.
As a youngster I thought that we will play one day in the World cup.
The stumbling block was the apartheid era and it kept us from participating among the world best.
We had best player and we would have won the cup with that. The likes of Jomo Sono, Teenage Dladla to name a few. That was our germs and they played oversees.

The World cup first gives us an opportunity to explore other countries cultures.
Football is a universal language and it unites cultures.

There is still a future for the Rainbow nation and the country is democratically young.
Democracy is a process and I think we will prosper.

Written by Wire

PS. You can read more about Youth day and the activities today at: http://www.joburg.org.za/content/view/5342/266/

Interview with a young girl

It is World Cup-fever in South Africa, and we go on with interviews from Blitz Academy´s school program.

Itumeleng Mashego, 13 years old, from Moletsane (Soweto).
Lumelang Primary School (grade 7).
"I live with my grandmother and siblings. I'm a netball player at school and I love it a lot and my dream is to represent my country.
During the school program I learned to play volleyball and basketball and I fell in love with it.
I was there on the first school program and I came back for the second time because I had nothing to do, that was depressing for me. So I decided to join. Lucky for me I was not turned back.
The coaches are the best,understanding and they made us feel welcomed and I trust them."
Wire

The show starts today

I have been a driver at the volunteer center and I drove a guy by the name of Stefan from Germany. Think about that.
It´s an amazing thing to meet so many people at once. It feels like a festival in winter here but the cold cannot dempen the spirit of the World cup.
There was a lot of practise around the stadium. One of the things that happened was the flying of the F16 fighterjet around the stadium. And the sound they made was unbelieavable.
I am anticipating a supershow today.
Thabiso

It is here

Feel it, it is here.
Blitz leader Thabiso Mifi shows a new World Cup-t-shirt.
This is a slogan for this first World cup in Africa (South Africa).
It is not only for South Africa but for the rest of Africa.
I'm proud to be a South African.
Over the weekend there were Prayer meetings in the churches and a Sunday football vibe, where they dressed in their football gear.
Feel it, it is here.

The boss at the Blitz-office

Since the school program has a break during the World cup we will have some other things on the blog.
Today we present Wire.

Hello, my name is Aretha "Wire" Tshabalala.
I'm a former football player, played for Soweto Ladies F.C and Women's national team(94-98)and played Basketball (S.O.T.S). I live in one of the townships called Naledi (star) with my mother, brother and sister (twins).
I spend five days (mon-fri) from 10h00am-16h30 at Blitz Academy of Sports office situated at Entokozweni Community Centre in Moletsane. I'm an office administrator, teach leadership in sports and I train kids and mentally unstable people.
Blitz Academy of Sport its a Non-profit making organization that deals with sports leadership and also we use sport as a tool to address social ills.
I'm dedicated to my work at Blitz because I love sport and since Blitz is an academy of sport that loves its community we have something in common. Through my years as a soccer player I learned a lot so I want to give back the knowledge to my community (learn and teach).
Everything starts in the heart.
Since my involvement at Blitz I have seen my colleagues use the education they got from our friends from Sweden to get jobs and kids get to explore in different sporting that Blitz cater in.
In one of our programs we take 120 kids away from the streets for 1 hour in three days of the week.
Some never seen handball in their lives but thanks to Blitz leaders now they are exposed to the sport.
Our cooperation with IF Vaster means a lot to Blitz for its well being. More as specially with the connections that was created on our partnership.
For Blitz If Vaster is like a Mother body of NPO's.
In 2006 January we attended a leadership training with 40 women and men sports lovers from different sports backgrounds (one of three). 3 ladies and 3 men were chosen to go to Sweden for the third course.
In 2009 I came as a coach for the under 14 boys that went to play In the biggest youth tournament in the world Gothia cup.
My dream is to study and get more education in sports. I think sports is my calling because I love it. More especially when it involves kids.
For me the World cup is not only for South Africans but for all the countries that helped our country during the oppression. We made history for hosting the first world cup in african soil.
Bafana Bafana is now 90 percent ready and I think is good. Every where you go around Soweto you can feel the vibe of World Cup.

Wire

The last day - this time

This was the last day of the school program.
The kids were happy to be with us and sad that it was the last day.
Every day when we finish for a day the kids follow us to the office singing fun song such as Thula mama.
Wire

Looking forward to the World Cup

South Africa is getting there with the mood. This time is Africa time and the football time. Many houses and cars in Soweto are hanging flags out to be seen that they love football.
We dedicated this week for football and we have more ladies in the program.
Wire