Healing with Sports

In developing the concepts of Junkyard Sports, I found myself part of a variety of sports-based initiatives for creating a healthier world. Today, I'd like to share two such efforts with you - one that uses sports to reach children who would otherwise become unhealthily obese, and another that uses soccer to teach children about AIDS.

The purpose and inspiration for the The Joy of Sports Foundation begins with the following observation: "Most physical education (PE) and youth sports programs are enjoyable for the youngsters who are naturally athletic. However, we recognize that many kids have negative first experiences with sports and get discouraged by being picked last for a team, or told to sit on the bench, and are criticized for not having skills equal to other kids. Their self-esteem is badly damaged and they often form a life-long habit of physical inactivity. We particularly try to reach out to these kids to make sports a fun, integral, healthy part of their lives." Precisely the motivation behind the creation of Junkyard Sports. Here's another, perhaps even more revealing quote from Jumanne Jahmi, a Joy of Sports coach: "I meet each student where they are at. Sometimes they can be a challenge to get moving on the court, but then walking back to the classroom, they tell me about a personal problem happening in their lives. I see they are opening up to me and I’m there to help them any way that I can. It’s my job to give them positive alternatives and hope. Anyone can learn a forehand. We’re here to do much more than that."

Then there's Grass Roots Soccer: "In our first year we established ourselves as a well-recognized community organization in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. We trained fourteen professional soccer players to act as peer educators who, in turn, reached over 1,500 young people during our first year by organizing and running two-week sessions as after-school programs...In most places around the world simply arriving at a field with a soccer ball will gain you instant friendships and immediate access into a local culture. By using role soccer role models to get the message out about healthy behavior and the risks of HIV/AIDS, we believe that we can dramatically increase awareness, change behaviors, and turn the tide against AIDS."

I am not sure what place Junkyard Sports will take relative to these powerful, health-restoring sports programs. But I am delighted to discover myself in such good company.