This comes after the learners of KwaThema Skills School, a special school for young people with mild intellectual disability, were introduced to the activity of floorball.
“The sport is a new sport of the Special Olympics and is similar to hockey. It came about after I was chosen along with some of our learners to form a floorball team for our school.
“Our team only started this year but as a school we are very proud, as the team was recently awarded with medals and certificates from Special Olympics Africa to show that they are now competent to play.
“This means that they are now able to represent Africa in any African tournament or championship,” says teacher and coach Sylvia Mannie.
She adds that currently they only have a boys’ team but will soon train girls as well.
“All the boys in this team already participated in other sports, such as soccer, hence it was easier to choose them for this sport.
“They have done so well that even our overseas trainer from Sweden was impressed with their performance.
“We are looking forward to competing locally this year, and then next year we will be heading off to Continental games, and if we are competent there, we can go all the way to world games,” says Mannie.
She adds that this is what she has been praying for, as being great at sport supplements what the children may lack in school.
“I am content to see them achieving and excelling,” she says.
