Concept Overview
Sport is a Unifier – It skills, it teaches, it moulds, it creates, it bridges – ultimately to build a good individual and a model citizen. The idea to host a sport tournament to develop community talent in the main codes helps to close the gap in levels of participation; it connects people in a competitive spirit; it bonds people socially through good sportsmanship. The initiative is derived from the underpinning of the disparity in sport stemming from school level. Children that are not given equal opportunity or a platform to showcase their talent are often a loss for the individual, the community and inevitably the country. Community based sport is fast becoming a platform to be reckoned with.
Due to the lack of sporting infrastructure and sport resources in schools, communities are introducing main codes to develop their youth and give them a platform to compete. The Phoenix Sports Festival was conceptualized in 2014 to give a special platform to individuals willing to participate and at the same time build a functional socially cohesive community. Sport has many positives, it adds immense value to an individual, it promotes a healthy body and mind, it builds confidence, tolerance and acceptance and a functional community that serves as a great advantage to the country.
Social cohesion is described as the degree of social integration and inclusion in communities and society at large, and the extent to which mutual solidarity finds expression itself among individuals and communities. In terms of this definition, a community or society is cohesive to the extent that the inequalities, exclusions and disparities based on ethnicity, gender, class, nationality, age, disability or any other distinctions which engender divisions distrust and conflict are reduced and/or eliminated in a planned and sustained manner.
Community members and citizens become active participants working together for the attainment of shared goals designed and agreed upon to improve the living conditions for all. This builds good neighbourhoods, communities, cities and countries.
Introduction
The Phoenix Sports Festival is an initiative which brings the sporting community of Phoenix together to compete and build relationships in a month long event of sport and fun. The games are shared over several different codes of sport, with a round-robin stage (qualifier stage, quarterfinals, semi-finals and finals on last day with the presentation of medals and trophies. Schools and sporting clubs in the communities will be invited to compete in the tournament. This gives communities the opportunity to come out and support their members creating a social cohesive environment that builds a nation.
Secondary Objectives
- PSF Programme to be used as a platform to build up potential identified to the Commonwealth Games in 2022
- To promote constitutional democracy, human rights and equality
- To promote non racialism, non-tribalism and non-sexism
- To promote unity in diversity, inclusivity, social integration and justice
- To promote inter-group and community co-operation
- To promote active and participatory citizenship and civic responsibility to the community
- To use sporting events to create economic opportunities for the citizens of our communities
- To work towards building a community that is safe, caring and vibrant for all its citizens
- To encourage and support the promotion of ethics in sport as well as education of youth through sport and to dedicate its efforts to ensuring that, in sport, the spirit of fair play prevails and violence is banned
- To encourage and support the organisation, development and coordination of sport and sports competitions
- To celebrate sport and community solidarity
- To place sport at the service of humanity and build social cohesion
- To encourage sport and support the promotion of women in sport in all levels and support the equality of males and females in sport
- To promote and develop sport to a high competitive nature and create a platform for athletes to have a voice
- To encourage the development of sport for all
- To promote a positive legacy
- To encourage and support initiatives blending sport with culture and education
- To teach children the spirit of competiveness and build confidence
- To teach and promote discipline on and off the sporting fields
- To encourage and support children to play sport
- To promote a healthier lifestyle
- To teach children the benefits of sport in everyday life
- To foster friendships between through sport
- To promote the interest and importance of sport in our communities
- To encourage sport for all
- To encourage every child to engage in and participate in daily physical activities for a period of 30 minutes per day
- Secondary Outcomes
- Facilitate a Skills and Training platform for Coaches, Referees, Umpires and Sport Administrators or any individual wanting to pursue a career in sport
- Talent Identification platform
- Selection panel to identify talent for promotion to participate at Regional & National levels
- Facilitation & Promotion of Sport
- Assist other communities willing to host an event of this nature
