Nurturing young talents through sports
Prospective Sport School for Elite
The Real Madrid Foundation program signed a memorandum of understanding with the sports ministry and Cadilu Fishing in Windhoek yesterday.The aim is to introduce football leagues for boys and girls of primary school age, create interest and develop talented players through permanent football schools across the country.
The cooperation with the Spanish sports brand is slated to include areas of development of sports discipline through football and basketball; renovation of facilities for a Sport School for Elite talents; capacity building of local coaches, training and skills development and exchange of officials and athletes.
According to Roger Kambatuku, the national coordinator of the Namibia Schools Sports Union (NSSU), the project will target over 1 000 children from the ages of 6 to 16.
Their ultimate goal is to utilise sports as a tool to address various social issues and to nurture Namibian children into well-rounded individuals. They aspire not only to cultivate sports stars, but also to empower children who, even if they do not excel in sports, can contribute positively to society in other areas.
To achieve this, the program integrates coaching lessons with social education, allowing children to learn important life skills while training together.
Kambatuku emphasised that the project will be implemented in close collaboration with the two national federations – Namibia Football Association and Namibia Basketball Federation.
Last year, they successfully implemented four pilot projects across four regions, and they plan to continue this initiative by selecting four more regions this year, meanwhile expanding their efforts in the existing four regions.
“Our main objective is to establish a permanent school for the project by 2025. This permanent project will operate year-round, providing continuous training for children and employing dedicated coaches to oversee the program,” said Kambatuku.
LONG-LASTING IMPACT
Speaking at the event, Jose Luis Reyero, managing director of Cadilu Fishing, ensured the necessary support and resources for the young athletes `will be provided to succeed in both their sporting and academic pursuits.
“We are thrilled to be a part of this program and to support the youth of Namibia in their sporting endeavours. We are confident that we can make a real difference in the lives of these young athletes and help them achieve their dreams.”
The sports minister, Agnes Tjongarero, expressed her gratitude and urged the ministry and all other stakeholders to take ownership of the project.
“We are excited to partner with Cadilu Fishing on the Real Madrid Foundation program. This memorandum of understanding will help us empower our youth through sports and create a platform for them to excel both on and off the field.
“We are focused on creating a sustainable program that will have a long-lasting impact on the youth of Namibia,” Tjongarero said.