“We may not be able to prepare the future for our children but we can at least prepare our children for the future.” Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Over the past few years, I have noticed the frequency with which the younger members of our society have been making the headlines. Usually, it is in association with some form of abuse and/or homicide. Children raped and/or killed by parents, step-parents, or other children. It is heart-wrenching to read, particularly if you have children of your own. I wonder what sort of future the victims have been given and after the rage and disgust, I wonder to what sort of upbringing the culprits experienced.
“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” Albert Einstein.
Einstein’s ability to formulate peculiar concepts or theories stemmed from his active imagination. Although Einstein’s speech skills developed later than that of the average child, his life would unfold to prove that he was destined to be anything but average and it was thanks largely to the firm support system at home combined with sheer determination that saw his potential to fruition.
“Nothing you do for children is ever wasted.” Garrison Keillor.
In July, Altus Health Services will be hosting its first ever Community Sports Clinic. Born out of a genuine concern for the limited options available to our youngsters to explore their hidden talents, the rising rate of child abuse, the increasing number of overweight and obese children, the early specialisation into deficient sport programmes, this five-day clinic is geared toward using sports as a vessel to mentor our children in dynamic ways both on and off the field. Commonly lacking in sports programmes in T&T, are the keys to tap into the underlying potential that sport and play harbour that can positively shape the future of our youth. This fact ,however, is no secret to me, nor is it to Altus and rather than talk about it, this July, Altus will endeavour to take its first few steps towards uncovering this potential. To play whatever small part it can to influence a child’s world or some aspect of it. Centre-stage in the Community Sports Clinic will feature a face that would be well known, particularly to those who were watching the 2010 FIFA World Cup. You may recall a Guinness commercial that featured a football scout being driven around, searching for talent somewhere in South Africa. I found this commercial to be well put together and truly inspirational. By no small measure the young man who played the role of the driver escorting the football scout to the various locations, played a part in my fondness for the commercial.
Aside from the warmth he portrayed in his role, at the end of the minute-and-a-half full version of the advertisement, the ball is kicked over-bars and lands straight at his feet. He seizes the opportunity to unexpectedly splendour those within sight of him, including the football scout, with a slew of his own phenomenal football skills. The catch phrase for this particular Guinness campaign was “Reach for Greatness.” As fate would have it, I came to meet this “driver.” His name is Carlos Salvador Joao, an Angolan living in the UK. Carlos will play a significant role in the staging of the Community Sports Clinic.
Aside from truly exuding the same warmth he portrayed in that Guinness commercial, Carlos carries qualifications in the sports industry not only as a coach but also in media and advertising. Like many young boys with an inexorable passion for football, Carlos had dreams of being a professional football player. His parents, however, had different plans for him so he eventually followed his academic pursuits. Once qualified, and evidently equally as talented in the field of media and advertising, he married his career with his passion and now can boast of clients the likes of Nike, Adidas and Ford (www.carlossalvadorjoao.com).
Carlos has worked in inner city areas, reaching out to lesser privileged young people with an innate ability to recognise and handle fresh talent, while mentoring them to become better human beings. He has coaching experience internationally and he uses his company, Sports Clinic and Events to create opportunities to do the things he enjoys.
The Community Sports Clinic is not a football clinic. It is not a sport-specific clinic, it is a “skills and movement clinic,” meant to physically and mentally expose youngsters to the various fitness components that make sporting activities not just about the joy of winning but about the joy of playing.
There are two components to this clinic:
(1) a Functional Movement Component (on the field) designed by Carlos and
(2) a Brain Training Component (off the field) designed by clinical psychologist, Kamu Laird.
Together we have been co-ordinating and combining our skill sets to put together a unique programme with the hearts and minds of children as the centre focus. There is so much more to this concept all of which I will share in future columns but if you or your company would like to get involved with this initiative or would like to learn more about the programme, please feel free to contact me at dirtunderthenails@gmail.com or asha.defreitas@gmail.com.
Also go to Carlos’ Web site www.carlossalvadorjoao.com so you can get an idea of who he is and I am sure you will feel the potential behind this concept.
Source: www.guardian.co.tt