Van Coller to have sports fields
VAN Coller Primary School was a hive of activity on Tuesday as sporting kit and equipment from a Lotto donation was handed over with most of the R300 676 to be used to build a soccer and rugby field in partnership with two other entities.
School principal Edward Valashiya said the school was very excited to receive the donation. He said there were a lot of sporting codes and more would be introduced in the near future adding they believed in healthy minds and healthy bodies. “Exercise is essential in raising children and the balanced diet we offer through the school nutrition programme will help the pupils to be in a position to play hard and strong,” he said.
He said he wanted the school to produce pupils who would play at natio- nal level and contribute towards sport where they could be employed. The school was partnering with the sport, recreation, arts and culture department and Civil & General Contractors in the con- struction of the field.
School governing body chairman Sipho “Dr White” Lisa said the donation would go a long way to help keep the pupils mentally fit. He said the school needed to part- ner with the surrounding community and help other children by developing them through sport.
“This contribution will go a long way in developing a black disadvantaged child. These children will now be encouraged and have confidence when they play with kit that tells where they are from after having practised on a proper field with proper equipment,” Lisa said.
He hoped the school would sustain sport, adding that pupils would be saved from a lot of bad things. “These children have a lot of time and start experimenting with sex, alcohol and drugs which destroy their lives in the end. Now they will play sport and watch sport to identify role models and help advance their skills in the respective codes they play,” Lisa said.
He said there should be tight competitions among schools with annual awards which would encourage pupils to want to better themselves at every opportunity they got. He said parents needed to support their children and watch matches.