Water sports development on the cards

Children learn all about sailing, canoeing and rowing at the Germiston Lake.

October 30, 2015

1 minute read

Pupils from Phumelela Primary School and Sekgutlong Primary School listen to instructions during one of their training sessions at the Germiston Lake, recently.

The Ekurhuleni Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture (SRAC) Department has embarked on strengthening partnerships with other stakeholders, in the hope of promoting a water sport development programme.

The programme commenced soon after the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between Germiston’s Victoria Lake Club (VLC) and the department.

Promoting and supporting junior athletes keen to participate in water sport programmes and exposing communities to well-constructed water sport clubs and developing the sport are among the aims of the programme.

“The metro has committed to providing, among other things, transport and catering for the participants, monthly affiliations as per terms agreed upon (first year maximum of 135 participants, 270 the second year and 405 the following year),” said the metro’s sports development officer, Eddie Thage.

“Initially, VLC had 18 schools participating in all three disciplines (sailing, canoeing and rowing) of the programme, but since February, this year, 11 primary schools were also introduced.”

Dukathole Primary School, Reahile Primary School and De Bruyn Primary School are among the 11 schools that recently joined.

“Currently, the programme is in its fifth week of training children from the newly introduced primary schools, and it is doing very well,” explained Thage.

“There is a lot of improvement from the athletes.”

Thage also said training is held from Monday to Friday, from 2.30pm to 5pm, at VLC, which is based at the Germiston Lake.