PlayingIt was a slow start to the day in Lephalale, with the Heroes only arriving at the sports field in Thabazimbi around one o’clock, after having done a walk-through in the town centre. All the Sport Heroes hummed their approval that the cloudy weather was most welcome and helped to keep things cool on the road during the running part of the day. The only Hero with a complaint was Desiree, who has a nagging knee problem. Fortunately the physio was at hand to apply some ice and a bandage. Let’s hope it clears up (her knee, not the weather…) since a few more days of cloud cover will be most welcome.

The kids that took part in today’s coaching clinics was a particularly playful bunch, who prior to the coaching clinics and after the formalities were done took to the field like a cage full of kittens, rollicking around on the grass, chasing each other and generally being, well, just kids. Much of the subsequent coaching clinics was taken up by impromptu races, boxing matches, ball games and mini cricket tournaments. For an hour or so the air was filled with cheers as spectators egged each other on, or in celebration of a win.

In the end, however, it was the spectators who lost out. Since, yet again, there weren’t enough of the soccer balls SRSA hands out for everyone, a decision was made to only give them to kids who actively particpated in the clinics (there are about three times more spectating children ambling round on the field). So while the field was filled with kids throwing balls around after the handout, there were also a lot of long faces.

The number of balls handed out per  once stop-over – two hundred – was based on the average participation in last year’s Sport Heroes Walk. But this year participation is considerably increased, which is of course great, since it means the Walk is having a greater impact, even if all participants don’t receive a free ball.

Regarding the walking and running route, the Sport Heroes are now ahead of schedule and stopped the day’s run about forty kilometers before Lephalale, tomorrow’s stop-over point. The organisers envisages that this will enable the Sport Heroes and their support team to take a day off running, just to rest and recuperate sore muscles and bruised feet.

Most of all, let’s hope the cloudy weather continues for a few more days!

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