A Short Update

Here follows a detailed summary of the clubs recently visited by Positive Play. These clubs are now completing the distribution of educational materials to 9 secondary clubs each.

Gorica-Iskra Hanball Club, Bugojno, the first Primary Club to receive assistance, is an exclusively female club with 60 members. The finest characteristic of the club is that it has members from all three main ethnic groups within a town which continues to provide ethnically divided schooling ('two schools under one roof'). Gorica-Iskra's girls, whose club seriously lacks financial and equipment resources, were very grateful for the sports equipment donation made to the club.

Bosna Rhythmic Gymnastics Club, Sarajevo, were very excited by the project, not least as a senior member of the club appears amongst 20 other athletes on the poster distributed through the project.

Sveti Sava Table Tennis Club, Trebinje, was a club perfectly located to receive risk education messages, in particular Mine Risk Education. Trebinje is of course located in an area of high landmine infestation. The kids were delighted to see a very familiar face on the posters: Srđan Miličević has attended numerous table tennis events in Trebinje.

Trica Youth League, Tešanj, with over 100 members, was characterized by a highly pro-active and enthusiastic attitude on the part of the clubs coaching staff. Indeed this club completed distribution of educational materials to Secondary Clubs in a mere three days, the most effective provision to Secondary Clubs of any of the Primary Clubs.

Sol Tennis Club, Brčko, was, as a club, selected on the basis of past commitment to humanitarian actions. The club are involved in development of kids and tennis throughout Brčko District, organizing for example free tennis schooling to over 100 kids every year.

Una Judo Club, Bihać, is characterized by gender-balanced membership. Their attitude to inclusiveness does not stop there however, as they also prioritize training of the disabled. Indeed, a result of these endeavors was the presentation of an award from the town of Bihać to one of their club members Azra Dedić, born in 1994 with Downs Syndrome, for her remarkable determination and commitment to sport in 2007. Azra also impressed Positive Play's staff to such an extent that she became our Positive Player of the Month for January 2008, the first of such monthly awards.

Drvar Football School, Drvar, is the most impoverished club of all the Primary Clubs visited. Their multi-ethnic coaching staff and team travel regularly to games by logging trucks. Such was the response of the club and their kids to the project that Positive Play intends to work with them on a regular basis, including a special event in 2008 to coincide with 'Youth Day' in BiH.

Glasinac Athletics Club, Sokolac, another club with extremely limited resources, were very enthusiastic about the project and were very proud that a sneior club member, Gorana Cvijetić, appears amongst 20 other athletes on the poster distributed through the project.

Goražde Football Club, Goražde, are a successful club due in no small part to the positive attitudes within the club, from the coaching to team level. It is worth noting that Goražde Club was selected due to our being unable to identify a volleyball club in the area that would sufficiently satisfy the pre-requisite set of criteria. Goražde Club were however very agreeable to the idea of locating small volleyball clubs throughout the Goražde area to receive equipment contributions.