Schools join archery progamme

LEPHALALE - Two primary schools in Lephalale were given the opportunity to join the National Archery in the Schools Programme (NASP-SA).    
As the first runner up in the 2013 Jack Cheetham Memorial Award, NASP-SA is recognised for its meaningful contribution to the development of sport in South Africa and the unifying effect that sport has in South African society.
This annual award is sponsored by Murray & Roberts and the substantial amount received by NASP-SA made it possible to fully equip Laerskool Bosveld Primary and Lephalale primary to join the programme.
The headmasters and teachers of the two schools met with the NASP-SA team on Saturday where the programme was introduced to them. Several teachers of both schools also got the opportunity to be trained as programme instructors.
The programme will allow learners from both schools to be developed in the sport of archery. This will give them the opportunity to possibly participate, provincially, nationally as well as internationally in archery tournaments.
According to NASP-SA president, Wilhelm Greeff, it is not a child’s age or size that matters, NASP is all about putting athletes and non-athletes on a level playing field.
“Probably the biggest advantage of this sport is that any child can participate, you don’t have to be an athlete. "The difference between an average archer and an achiever is dedication and practice. The national champion for 2013 is for instance a Grade 8 learner from Rustenburg.”
According to Greeff studies have shown that participation in archery teaches a child discipline and respect; school attendance improve and children become physically more active.
The programme teaches children a physical discipline that they can enjoy as a lifelong acti-vity. It has also proven to transform previously unreachable “high risk” children by unlocking self-esteem.
“This programme has the ability to touch, transform, redirect, lift and change individual lives forever. We regularly receive testimonies from head masters, teachers, project leaders and parents witnessing the positive change in participating children, not to mention the feedback from our excited children themselves,” Greeff added.
Pretorius thanked NASP-SA and Murray & Robberts on behalf of both schools, saying that this is a wonderful opportunity for the two schools to work together and develop their learners.