The Young Warriors Cricket Program and Physical Literacy and Activity Promotion Program

The Young Warrior Cricket Program (YWCP)was established to promote pathways from grassroots to the South African Nation Cricket Team, initially in Makhanda, but with the ambition to establish an evidenced-based model for success which can be upscaled around the country and beyond. The project, formed of stakeholders from Rhodes University, CatchTrust (formerly the Gary Kirsten Foundation) and Schools in Makhanda, identified two challenges to address.

The first of which is the challenge of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour in children and adolescents within South Africa. Children and adolescents in South Africa have high levels of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour (Healthy Active Kids South Africa Report Card, 2022).  Many children and adolescents are not meeting the  World Health Organisation's (WHO) physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour guidelines of 2020, stipulated by the World Health Organization and stating that children and adolescents should achieve:  (WHO, 2020). 

• An average of 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) per day, done across the week. 
• Include vigorous-intensity aerobic activities, as well as those that strengthen muscle and bone; at least three days a week. 
• Less time  being sedentary, particularly with the use of  recreational screen time.

Not meeting these guidelines increases their risk of non-communicable diseases (Jemmott et al., 2019).  

The Healthy Active Kids Report Card (2022) stated  that over 60% of adolescents in South Africa are physically active; however, concern over the availability of physical activity in schools and the availability of organised sport for all remains a challenge (Naidoo et al., 2022). The inequality in South Africa, especially in schools, contributes to this challenge, with limited resources and personnel limiting the interventions, to improve levels of physical activity and to reduce sedentary behaviour, available to scholars.

In response, the Young Warriors Cricket Program aimed to promote physical activity and change sedentary behaviour of youths that partake in the program.

Implementation of a cricket program at schools

Four coaches with a passion for physical activity and cricket were employed by the program in early 2023 and started their cricket coaching qualification process through the Gary Kirsten CoachED program, a world-renowned cricket coaching course. While completing this course and alongside the principals of three local schools, the coaches also familiarized themselves with the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) regarding Physical Education (PE). 

In August of 2023, the Catch-Trust (formerly the Gary Kirsten Foundation (GFK)) travelled to Makhanda to run an "Activation event", which served as the commencement of the program at the schools, with coaches officially starting the rollout of cricket and physical education for scholars. The event, which ran for over three days, consisted of a team of Gary Kirsten Foundation coaches from the Western Cape, coaches from Kingswood College and the coaches from the Young Warrior Cricket Program interacting to gain valuable insight into the fundamentals of adolescent cricket. The Young Warrior Cricket Program coaches were guided in practically applying the theory they had been working through and were offered support and assistance in planning and executing accurate cricket training sessions. The event also aimed to garner interest amongst scholars in cricket, with the two teams successfully conducting a coaching clinic with approximately 400 learners from the three schools partnered in the project. 

The Gaps in CAPS 

Unfortunately, the implementation of physical education at the schools proved more difficult. The coaches were initially met with animosity and challenges in facilitating physical education at the three schools. Although the principals bought into the idea of reintroducing physical education as stipulated by CAPS, teachers at the school were initially confused by the presence of the coaches. It was soon realised that the teachers were not consulted about the full extent of the Young Warrior Cricket Program involvement at the schools and feared for the security of their jobs, especially those involved with teaching Life Orientation, the subject through which physical education is taught. Through discussions and meetings, this was soon resolved, and the coaches are now fully integrated at the schools.

Further, there was a  lack of physical education implementation at the schools despite the CAPS requirements, an ongoing problem in non-private schools in South Africa (Naidoo et al., 2022). Through consultation with the principals and fellow school staff, the coaches noted that a lack of resources (both staff and equipment), training, and staff education in providing physical education lessons has led to physical education being one of the first subjects to be cut from school syllabuses, similar to the findings of Naidoo et al. (2022). 

As the four Young Warrior Cricket Program coaches settled into their respective schools, a weekly implementation of a physical education roster was established. The roster aimed to increase the physical activity of learners from grades one to seven (foundation phase to further education and training phase) based on the CAPS curriculum requirements. While doing so, some gaps in the curriculum were identified. The CAPS curriculum was designed as a "one size fits all program" with no consideration for under-resourced schools facing financial strain and a lack of, or poor, equipment and facilities. This made adherence to the curriculum difficult.  The CAPS curriculum has an even broader issue, with only 2 hours of physical education a week recommended for foundation phase learning (6-9 years old), 1 hour weekly for the intermediate phase (10-12 years old) and no stipulated physical education time allocated towards scholars at the senior (13-15 years old) and exit level (16+ years old) phases of education (Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement English Home Language. Grade 4-6, 2011). Published in 2011, the curriculum is outdated and does not meet the current WHO requirements of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day, thus calling for future changes to be considered.

Introduction of a long-term Physical Literacy and Activity program

At the start of 2024, the Human Kinetics and Ergonomics Department (HKE) increased its involvement with the Young Warrior Cricket Program by donating equipment and conducting regular education sessions with Young Warrior Cricket Program coaches. These sessions aimed at equipping coaches to facilitate a more structured and accurate approach to physical education and cricket coaching. These education sessions have generated more creative and innovative activities, exercises, and games during physical education. A significant increase in physical activity at the schools has been seen as a result.  

In March of 2024, an initiative was proposed by the coaches to create an increased physical literacy and activity promotion program (PLAP) aimed at providing a more structured and context-specific approach to physical education than what CAPS allows. With HKE's assistance, current gaps and areas of need were identified.

1. The learner-coach ratio 

Coaches found it challenging to manage the large numbers of learners during physical education lessons, with a single coach sometimes needing to facilitate physical education lessons for an entire grade.

1. The current physical education curriculum does not meet the socioeconomic status of under-resourced schools.

CAPS assumes a "one size fits all" approach; however, some schools, being no fee-paying or government grant-based schools, struggle for resources to meet the CAPS requirements. A lack of facilities and equipment meant the current curriculum could not be effectively implemented. 

PLAP aims to address these challenges in a stage-like fashion, which started in April 2024.

Stage 1: Introduction of HKE undergraduate volunteers to assist YWCP coaches (current)

HKE undergraduates were given the opportunity to volunteer as helpers under the leadership of the Young Warrior Cricket Program coaches. Students would gain practical experience by applying some of the theories they were exposed to in class and learning from the now-experienced coaches. 

Volunteer buy-in was good, with about a third of HKE undergraduates (1st year to 3rd year) signing up to volunteer. The number of volunteers and eagerness from the start showed promise in enlarging the HKE department's involvement in this part of the Makhanda community. 

Stage 2: Service-Learning in the HKE 3rd year course focused on assisting with PLAP (July 2024)

The large volunteer program led to the PLAP program being used to facilitate service-learning as part of the HKE 3rd year course, starting in the second semester of 2024. The department has had success with service-learning in the past, and it has been implemented at an honours level since 2019. This should enhance the scholars' experiences with more one-on-one attention during physical education lessons. The program's longevity will thus also become more secure, with PLAP not only relying on volunteers, which tend to fluctuate, but also having a set and structured involvement from helpers, year on year as part of the HKE curriculum. A direct response to Dr Mabizele's (Vice Chancellor of Rhodes University) call for Rhodes University to become more involved in educational community engagement initiatives to uplift the community of Makhanda.

Stage 3: Development of a new context-specific physical education curriculum based on evidence gathered through engaged research.

A significant omission of the Young Warrior Cricket Program thus far has been the lack of tangible research emerging from the project, primarily due to the project being only implemented for a year now. The reliance and response to anecdotal evidence suggests that there is still a lot of research to be done to be a sustainable, evidence-based model. 

To address these concerns will take time, as a scientific and evidence-based approach to change was decided upon. Through research across postgraduate levels, appropriate interventions based on the outcomes of the departmental research will be proposed. Below are some of the proposed HKE research that will contribute to PLAP, both directly and indirectly. However, research is prone to change, and not all the studies proposed may see fruition.

Future Research

Last Modified: Wed, 15 May 2024 09:09:35 SAST