Last Sunday was a day that will
be remembered for a long time by the learners of Hoёr Volkskool Heidelberg.
Over 400 pupils from the school spent the day at the Wanderers bullring in
Johannesburg, watching South Africa beat Pakistan in the third One Day
International and, for many of them it was their first experience of live
international sport.
The school was given the
opportunity to go to the cricket after winning the Powerade® Cap Redemption
Competition that went along with the Powerade® Performance Session that were
run at schools late last year.
Following the session – a
training and information afternoon with the cricketers at the schools run by
Cricket South Africa’s fitness and conditioning staff, and Protea players – the
schools involved were given four months to collect Powerade® bottle caps, with
the school that collected the most getting tickets to Sunday’s game.
Hoёr Volkskool Heidelberg’s
Powerade® Performance Session was on October 26 last year. It was attended by
Thami Tsolekile and, apart from being taught some technical cricketing skills,
the players were told of the importance of proper nutrition, and of hydration,
in preparing themselves for the rigours of playing the game.
The school’s principal, Henjan
Van der Heyde, himself a former provincial cricketer, says they jumped at the
opportunity when it was presented to them. “We decided to use it as a project
to unite the school towards a common goal and the idea of actually winning the
competition was not what we were in it for,” he said. “When we heard that we
had won it caused great excitement at the school and going to the game was a
great experience for the learners.”
Headboy, Franco Gericke, was at
the game and it was the first time at the Wanderers for him. “Seeing this
magnificent stadium and being part of the atmosphere was fantastic,” he said.
“For many of our learners this was probably the first time that they have left
Heidelberg. We are very grateful to Powerade® for making it possible for us.”
Gericke explains that Powerade®
was stocked at the school’s tuckshop and that learners were given an incentive
to buy the drinks and to bring the caps back to the collection points. “We made
it a joint project between the matrics and the new grade 8s who were sent out
to collect caps at all sports meetings. “It was a great community project in
the school, and going to the ODI game was the cherry on top.”
“Powerade® is the chosen sport
drink of many of South Africa’s sports stars,” explains Craig van Niekerk,
Marketing Assets Manager of Coca-Cola South Africa. “But effective conditioning
is a combination of many factors and through the Powerade® Performance Sessions
we are helping to educate young sportsmen on best practices which will assist
them in keeping fit throughout their life time.”
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