Kuils River Police hosted a Youth Day event called “Sports against Crime” on the premises of Jan Kriel School on Tuesday 16 June with youngsters from Kalkfontein, Riverside Gardens and Sarepta in attendance. The theme was: “Empowering our future leaders through sport, unity and positive choices.”

From talent to rock bottom – and back

Key motivational speaker Darrel Smith, inspector from the Public Safety Training College, shared a gripping personal story of talent, downfall and redemption. Growing up underprivileged in Heideveld, Smith rose through the ranks of local soccer to represent South Africa at under-23 level and play for professional clubs including Santos and Bloemfontein Celtic.

“Let nothing hold you back, not the colour of your skin, not your circumstances at home,” he urged the young audience.

Smith shared how drug use and poor decisions led him to lose everything, wandering the streets of Cape Town.

“I honour God today for allowing me to come back. Everyone said, you’ll never make it again in life. I turned to God. My mother kept on praying for me.”

After a few years, he returned to play for Bloemfontein Celtic. “You don’t need to have everything in life to become something in life. Honour God.”

Smith advised the youngsters to put God in the centre. “You are in charge of your decisions. You can choose between right and wrong. But the consequences thereof are not up to you.”

Reminding them that he was also once a boy playing soccer barefoot, he closed with: “If you can dream it, you can achieve it.”

‘Not everybody wants you to succeed’

Edmond Dunn, vice-chair of the community policing forum, touched on peer pressure and the influence of social media. He noted that outward appearance (branded clothing) is not as important as what goes on inside. “What you do in life, what you achieve is up to you, the choices you make, the friends you make. Not everybody is your friend; you must realise that. Not everybody wants you to succeed in life.”

Dunn encouraged them to choose sport, not crime. “A child in sport is a child out of court.”

50 years on, new battles for today’s youth

Lt Col TK Matlou, acting station commander of Kuils River police, touched on the origins of Youth Day; “50 years ago when the youth of this country came together to fight the challenges of the past”. He noted that today’s challenges are very different. “As police, we see that the youth are challenged with drugs, gangsterism, and alcohol abuse.”

He asked the youth to take care of themselves and to beware of the wrong friends. “When we ask people who are on drugs, how did they get there, they always say, I met the wrong friends, as the first speaker [Smith] mentioned. Should you meet the wrong friends, please, you must run and never look back.”

Touching on the day’s theme, Matlou said sport teaches discipline, resilience and a can-do attitude. “Sports will keep you away from the streets.”

Matlou drew on five pillars from the event poster: Dream Big, Play Fair, Choose Wisely, Stay Safe, and Be the Change – unpacking each for the young audience. Referencing Smith’s earlier testimony, he warned: “Choose the right friends. Because of meeting the wrong friends, his dreams were nearly shattered.”

He urged the youth to know their surroundings and avoid dangerous places. To parents he said: “Let’s support our children and listen to them when they talk to us.” And to the youth: “You are the future – and crime does not pay.”

A day of sport and community spirit

Performers at the event included the Safety and Security band and singers, drill cadets from the Public Safety Training College, and two dance groups – one from a Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport after-school programme and one from Riverside Gardens.

A community team and teams from Kalkfontein, Irista and Highbury primary schools played friendly matches of netball, soccer and tag rugby.

The matches were followed by lunch. Several stakeholders contributed to the success of the event, said organiser WO Estelle April. Food contributors included the NG kerk Kuilsrivier, Better Life Choices School Ministries, Food Lover’s Market River Square and The Pizza Guy.

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Photos: Carina Roux

Performers

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