Lauren Bader's Blog (17)

So it isn't actually 10:00am on Sunday morning.  It's really Monday afternoon, but when everything wrapped up yesterday, I think everyone would have agreed that sleep took precedent over blogging.  I think everyone would also agree that the 2012 24-Hour Event was a huge success.  Major props to Wewe, Nkazi, Asanda who planned and coordinated the event.  More major props and a big thanks to all of the senior leaders, coaches, players, and fans who helped out and came to participate.  There is…

It's nearly 3:00am on Sunday morning.  The men's league started around midnight and group stages are well under-way with the 32 teams that registered.  In fact, it looks like we might even be done with the final tournament before 9:00am!  I'm not going to hold my breath though - I think I've ever seen an event finish on time here, let alone early.  …

It's just after 7:00pm and we've just avoided the second potential major catastrophe of the day.  

Potential major catastrophe #1: there was no microphone.  Around 10pm last night, Wewe informed everyone that the mic that we usually use had been hit by a ball during the night league, it was broken, we would need a new one by 9:00am the next day.  When we all got to the field this morning, it turned out it was actually the cord (not the mic) that was broken and we were able to…

It's 3:53 pm on Saturday and we are in the 6th and approaching the 7th hour of the 24-hour tournament.  The first tournament, for the U14 boys, is just wrapping up now!  There ended up being 46 teams who registered this morning...lots more than expected.  

Highlights of the day so far:

1.  The weather is sunny and warm and beautiful.

2.  We have had excellent turnout so far including lots of volunteers to help out.

3.  Nhuza provided…

Since I’m from Boulder, Colorado it’s no surprise that I tend to be more environmentally inclined than some, but I don’t think anyone would argue that there is a tremendous lack of biodiversity and lack of knowledge around the importance of environmental preservation in the area where we work and Cape Town’s townships in general.  There is (somewhat) good reasoning for this too – when you’re living at or below the poverty line and trying to care for yourself and your family on a small amount…

There is this new idea being tested in the life skills program this week that I want to share.  Here’s how it starts:

(1)   At the end of the practice, each player on each team work together to come up with team agreement and    goals for the year. 

(2)   Once they have written down and signed their commitment to the agreement, every player is given a red shoelace that they tie around their wrist to remind them of that commitment and their goals.…

Things are in motion at the Chris Campbell Memorial Field.  Things always happening here, but within the past few weeks things have really been moving.  Here’s what’s going down:

The main event is the Senior Leader training.  The training, which was for participants in the top-level of AMANDLA EduFootball’s Leadership Program, wrapped up today, took place over 10-days, and covered a cornucopia of information.  Before the training started, we recruited young men and women who…

Okay, so it’s March and it’s not exactly “New Years” time any more, but since official programs at the CCMF start around the end of March/beginning of April, for the CCMF it almost time for the new year.  To give you synopsis of what’s to come – it’s going to be epic.

Ideally, we like to start programs in…

Cape Townians really know how to enjoy their holidays.  During any public holiday here you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone at work…anywhere.  And to top it all off the whole city pretty much shuts down entirely during December and January.  However, while the working population is resting schools also go on breaks and kids need something to do every day – luckily, there happens to be an awesome turf soccer field in Khayelitsha.  During the long summer holiday (or winter holiday for those…

On the 22^nd of January, the Chris Campbell Memorial Field was packed with kids participating in an event in celebration of the 3^rd anniversary of the opening of the CCMF.  The day’s events included general games and energizers as well as a 5-a-side football tournament and were held for children who play in the AMANDLA EduFootball under 13s Heads Up program as well as players ages 9 and under who do not currently have a league in the AMANDLA program structure but can be…

Just before the Holiday, some of my family members came to visit Cape Town and stopped by the field during their time here.  Here's an entry from them about their impressions of the Field and Khayelitsha:

"December 23, 2011



We just returned from visiting our daughter, Lauren…

        Once again it seems that Friday night is one of the few times during the week when there is a break to write.  It’s currently the “calm before the storm” – the time when the girls’ league has ended and the night league has not yet started.  It’s nearly dark outside on the field, but there is still plenty going on.  Girls who played in the league today are still out working on their skills, some of the young volunteers who refereed the girls matches are already warming up to play in…

The final week of regular programming at the Chris Campbell Memorial Field wrapped up on the 11th of November. To celebrate the day, AMANDLA EduFootball hosted an end-of-season ceremony at the CCMF. All of the teams from the under 13 Heads Up league, under 16 Heads Up league, Girls league, and the Primary School league were invited to the event and were accompanied on the day by many younger spectators from the Khayelitsha area. Altogether, the field was packed with nearly 700 attendees!…

I want to share a story today about one of the kids at the field – let’s call him James:

            James is five years old.  He is too young to participate in any of the programs at the Chris Campbell Memorial Field, but he is here everyday.  As soon as the gate opens James makes his way to the field and spends most of his time hovering in and around the clubhouse.  We’ve come to expect him to come into the office shortly after his arrival and to make his presence known using…

It is 11:30 on a Friday night. I am sitting in the Clubhouse at CCMF. There is a men’s night league (Crime Prevention League/CPL) tournament taking place on the field, various people talking animatedly in the clubhouse, and house music thumping in the background. Since I’ve started writing I have already been approached several different times by players and co-workers wanting to register new players, get player card pictures taken, use a spare plug to charge a dying phone, or just take a…

Last Saturday, the 24^th of September, the Chris Campbell Memorial Field was packed with players who joined us to celebrate Heritage Day.  Players from all over Khayelitsha were united not only by their love of football but also by their national pride.  The event provided participants with a fun and exciting day of football and a chance to learn some interesting facts about South Africa. 

The day’s events were centred on a knockout football tournament for players in the U13…

On August 9^th 2011, AMANDLA EduFootball hosted a very successful and well attended event at the Chris Campbell Memorial Field in celebration of Women’s Day.  The event aimed to celebrate and empower local girls and women by allowing them to develop both football and life skills.  By using football as a catalyst, the event drew in nearly 200 participants.  Not only was the event attended by girls who regularly participate in the Girls League, it also included other local women who…