SAGF - Honour Your Commitment to Transformation!

SAGF President, Mr Jerry Masia states in the SAGF Annual Report 2007/8: "What we need is a meaningful debate, intended to understand, isolate and resolve the real factors that impact on the pace and quality of development and transformation in our sport."

Allocating adequate funding to the previously disadvantaged individuals (PDI) community clubs will impact development and transformation substantially.

Currently the PDI coaches who own and run their PDI clubs situated in financially disadvantaged areas, provide their service free of charge as their members are financially disadvantaged. They therefore have to provide leotards, shorts, tracksuits etc. for their members, as well as pay for member registration and entry fees. They also have to provide transport to and from competitions. How? They, themselves are not remunerated.

To make matters worse, when their gymnasts qualify to compete at international competitions, they are advised that there is no funding available to facilitate their gymnasts' participation at these events. This discourages their gymnasts and the PDI coaches are therefore not motivated to develop high level gymnasts who, due to lack of funds, will not have the opportunity to compete internationally. How can the PDI coaches remain committed and motivated in order to develop their clubs, their gymnasts and their coaches, without adequate funding? They do not even earn a living wage.

SAGF CEO, Elizabeth Cameron Smith states in the SAGF Annual Report 2006/7 that: "It cannot however, be left to chance for transformation to take place."

How can transformation at grassroots level take place, if funding is not allocated appropriately i.e. to the community clubs, owned and run by PDI coaches.

"From my view, it is no longer "why" we need Transformation, but rather "how" we go about Transformation." - Tseko Mogotsi - SAGF Annual Report 2006/7.

How can transformation take place without adequate funding to sustain present and future development? Adequate funding is not available for the PDI clubs, their gymnasts and their coaches in order to develop.

Adequate funding allocated to the community clubs will resolve many factors effecting transformation, thereby encouraging and motivating self-improvement, development and growth, which will definitely have a positive impact on the pace and quality of development and transformation in gymnastics.

The continued existence of the PDI community clubs cannot be left to chance, please SAGF, budget for the PDI coaches, their gymnasts and their clubs and assist financially to develop them.