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Sport Development

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Sport Is The Global Currency To Invest In Children

Community based organized sports programs present a strategic asset that can be deployed to address & mitigate poverty. The positive values associated with sport must be utilized to instill lifetime values among children necessary to overcome social challenges and break the poverty cycle.

Teach Sound Fundamentals

In an environment where training resources are limited, we take pride in teaching children & coaches sound fundamental of sport. Skill development is the first step towards game development that translates into a lasting passion for sport. In 2013 we rolled out the historic Jack Ramsay Volunteer Coaches Training & Certification Program a first in the history of the continent of Africa. With this program, coaches in rural schools now have access to rare basketball training materials courtsey of the late NBA Hall of Famer Dr Jack, who provided the resources.

Train Volunteer Officials

Training of game fundamentals must be complemented by a comprehensive officiating training program. Our goal is for every school in Makoni District to have a trained coach and official to ensure game development & program longevity. Volunteers that get trained & certified receive officiating tools including: striped shirt, black pants, pair of sneakers, a whistle, & training materials.

Sports Gear Assist

Sports is less fun when you play barefoot or without proper gear. The psychological effect of putting on a uniform and competing in sports helps develop self- esteem among children. Thanks to Connecticut Attack Basketball Program, Indy Eleven, Indiana Soccer & families that have helped collect gently used basketball & soccer gear helping kids in underserved communities across Zimbabwe play with confidence & enjoy the game. All collected sports gear from the USA is cleaned & processed for shipment. Upon making a shipment, we travel to Zimbabwe to receive the gear and distribute it across rural schools.

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The AOUSA Strategic Approach

The Grassroots Approach

Grassroots youth sport programs provide a strategic platform to deploy change processes necessary to break the poverty cycle & develop next generation of leadership. Communities must undergo a complete paradigm shift in order to breakdown social barriers & position children for long term prosperity. This strategy feeds into early intervention strategies for behavioral modification process. Our program deploys trophies & medals as a positive reenforcement tool to recognize & reward outstanding performance. Thanks to our friends at Bardach Awards, Indianapolis, we get to recycle, & replate collected trophies, medals & awards from the USA for donation to our program participants in Zimbabwe.

Community Level Model

A constant feature of rural communities is the absence of sports support systems for children. This notable absence results in sport deserts and leaves children at the mercy of potentially destructive temptations. Our goal is to introduce community level sports activities that serve as a safety netWithout a social safety net it social supportThe primary goal of this program is to create a fun filled environment where children can learn the game, improve their skills & develop a passion for it. Retail type program increase presence & accessibility to target group. An organized program is a perfect platform for kids to practice periodically and compete against each other in games. Once we get children excited about sport, as a community, we become strategically positioned to instill lifetime skills needed to overcome social challenges

Teaching Fundamentals

Teaching of sound game fundamentals must be complemented by training officials proper officiating skills. The strategy is for each rural school to have a trained & certified volunteer coach & official to ensure game development & program longevity. Certified volunteers receive officiating tools including the stripped shirt, whistle, a Connecticut Basketball Officials Blazer & rule guide.

Infrastructure Development

Before you attempt to develop sports infrastructure for underserved children, the community has to have some "Skin In The Game". We challenge communities in Zimbabwe to make farm bricks that are used to build basketball courts. This approach was developed by Ted DeWolf an American missionary living in Zimbabwe. Such a structure has a low upfront cost and comes with no maintanace costs

Train Officials

The pivotal arm of the program is to build capacity by training local volunteer coaches that work with kids on a continous basis to foster program sustainability & longevity. The presence of local staffing coaches creates a comfort zone for children & a sense of trust in the community. Volunteer coaches play the huge role of mentoring kids, the majority whose parents have succumbed to the deadly HIV/AIDS pandemic. We partner with game experts in the US that help us provide training resources for the program.

No Child Plays Without

Sports is the global currency that our program employs to teach children about social & lifetime skills. Our goal is to deliver on our 'No Child Plays Without" initiative. We challenge coaches, sports teams, and families to consider donating unwanted uniforms for children in our program to enjoy the game and play with confidence. In 2015, we supplied sports gear that impacted more than 20 rural schools in Zimbabwe. Thanks to the Indiana Pacers, Indiana Soccer, Connecticut Attack Basketball, & families in Indiana for donating basketball & soccer equipment that are impacting children in Zimbabwe.

the positive values of sport

Habit Success Patterns

Just like sport, life is a game of habits in which children learn to modify behavior in a socially acceptable manner. Our sport program is providing opportunities to underserved children to develop impactful positive relationships (that typically do not exist at home). These include team work, volunteer work involvement in volunteer work, the discipline of training & peseverence, adopting a teamwork approach, following the leadership of coaches and captains, learning to deal with loss.

Girls Participation & Recognition

In an environment that typically denies girls equal opportunities, we are beginning to see a dramatic acceleration of inclusion of girls. Young girls are increasingly developing confidence and self-esteem through participation in sport and physical activity. A deliberate 50% girls inclusion & participation strategy program is helping instill lifetime skills such as persistence, teamwork, goal setting, leadership, and character development may transfer from sport to academics, family life, and the work setting.

Youth Development

The majority of children from our program are beginning to exhibit the five c's associated with sport: competence, confidence, connections, character, and caring thanks to our dedicated staff on the ground that continue to volunteer their efforts. Running the program consistently will help shape program will —which are considered critical components of positive youth development. Considering the fact that a significant portion of program participants have lost their parents to HIV/AIDs, the sports program is filling a huge void that would otherwise remain unfilled.

Social Skill Development

Organized sports efforts are benefitting children through the promotion of teamwork, building initiative, & developing a sense of belonging to their community. The program's goal is for children to extrapolate lifetime skills such as persistence, teamwork, goal setting, leadership, and character development which potentially translate into academics excellence. Sowing the seeds of volunteerism & community service among the youth is a work seeds of philanthropy among youth. Working with teachers gives kids a sense of like minded mentors whom they can be vulnerable with.

Higher Self-Esteem

The take away from youth sporting programs is the aspect of high self esteem. Since the program's inception, coaches have started seeing an increase in children's self confidence that is positively impacting students’ academic performance. The subsequent effect is the learning of important life skills such as setting higher goals, resource & time management, holding oneself to high standards. We have also established a pattern of support and positive re-enforcement from adults that translates from sport to academic.

Improved Academic Achievement

The average rural educational system does not afford teachers adequate motivational tools to inspire children to earn good grades. The introduction of a comprehensive sports program tied into academic performance is availing teachers more and more teachers are finding sports program as a positive tool to inspire children to perform better in school. Acording to Nash Majoni, (teacher, coach & project coordinator) they have adopted the, "Get The Grade & Get To Play" initiative.

A Word From Coach Ramsay

"Coaching is a means of self-expression. Successful coaches, like artists, have a characteristic style. No coach lacking a sense of what he wants to accomplish through his team can succeed."

Dr. Jack Ramsay, (NBA Legend & Hall of Fame).
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