Road Warriors - Development clinic brings hope.
Source: www.sixty40.co.za/wpba
posted by Gareth White on 23rd July 2007
The Road Warriors together with Western Province Bodyboarding Association, (WPBA), hosted a bodyboarding development clinic for underprivileged children this past Saturday, 21 July, at Melkbosstrand.
The Road Warriors initiative is a non-profit organisation, designed to spread a positive message through bodyboarding. The clinic was the last stop on their tour, which started in Durban almost a month ago.
Children from the SOS Children’s Home in Thornton were taught bodyboarding basics and safety by Jamie Higgins, Daniel Worsley and Ian Kruger.
Once the children arrived they were each given a wetsuit and bodyboard, kindly donated to WPBA by Reef wetsuits and Science Bodyboards. Once the children had struggled into their suits and chosen a board, they rushed onto the beach, where Higgins demonstrated basic riding skills and took them through a warm-up routine.
“It is very important to stretch properly before getting into the water, it allows the muscles to warm and helps avoid cramp and injury,” commented Higgins on this pre-surf routine.
The children then darted towards the water, under the watchful eye of their instructors and a couple of life-guards who had offered their support. Melkbos is the ideal location for development clinics. This time round the seas were a little bit rougher than they were at the previous clinic, but because of the protective outer reefs, there was plenty shelter from the onslaught of swell and the kids found it easy to fool around in the smaller waves of the protected bay.
The children were a ball of energy and most spent over an hour in the water. Luckily the weather was good and all were able to bask in the sun to warm their cold bodies once they were done. The children then tucked into a hearty meal, provided by Tube Wave kiosk, to fill their tummies after an exhausting session.
“This kind of activity is very good for the children, it helps them grow physically and emotionally. Doing this helps them understand that there are better things beyond the home, it gives them hope,” commented Elizabeth Pick, House Mother at SOS.
The children cherished the experience, as they rarely get the opportunity to participate in such activities. “Seeing the light in their eyes was both joyous and saddening at the same time,” said a concerned Kruger. “On one hand you feel happy to have been able to bring happiness into the lives of so many with something as simple as this, but on the other hand I wish that we could do more.”
WPBA look forward to being able to host more development clinic and are looking for support in order to be able to do this more regularly.
For further information or to offer assistance please contact, Johnny Maritz on 072 413 1626.
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