In 2007, SCORE launched an exciting new project called the Cup of Heroes.  This is a new concept in which teams compete for points both on and off the field, driven by the slogan “scoring for social change!”   Last year 450 children, from 10 different communities across 4 provinces in South Africa, competed in a national festival in East London - participating in soccer and netball tournaments, delivering cultural ‘edutainment’ presentations, playing Kicking AIDS Out games, and being judged on ‘fair play.’   

This year the event brings together nine communities from throughout South Africa & one community from Namibia. The Cup of Heroes will utilize sport as a driver and tool to achieve social transformation and personal development. Teams will score points on and “off” the field,”off” the field activities such as demonstrating a community service, designing a flag and performing a cultural dance/song.

The communities have earned their place at the National event by winning a local competition and a regional event. 

The competing communities are:

• MT FRERE (Eastern Cape)
• PEDDIE (Eastern Cape)
• STERKSPRUIT (Eastern Cape)
• THOMO (Limpopo)
• Ga RADINGWANA (Limpopo)
• MOHODI (Limpopo)
• HOYI (Mpumalanga)
• DYSSELSDORP (Western Cape)
• OSHAKATI (Namibia)
• MAPOITSILE (North West)  

The winning team will be crowned Cup of Heroes 2008 and will receive a variety of prizes including a trip to Wellington, Western Cape Province for an Environmental Education Camp with Leadership skills. The Cup of Heroes, not only promotes participation in sports but is designed to develop and enhance life skills of young community leaders.

The Cup of Heroes Regional Tournaments, held as part of Women's Day celebrations, see communities from throughout the province coming together to compete in soccer and netball for both girls and boys in U14 and U16 age groups.  

Stefan Howells, Executive Director for SCORE said “The Cup of Heroes is an exciting, new competition that we are keen to establish as an annual event for communities throughout South Africa. As teams compete for points both on the field and off the field, the competition clearly demonstrates how young people are taking charge of their own lives, becoming positive roles models to their peers, becoming local heroes.  As sports leaders they are leading the way in organizing sport at community level and showing that young people can and are contributing towards building stronger, safer and healthier communities

Betty Lallie, SCORE’s Communications Manager added: “SCORE’s mission is to use sport to provide children and youth with valuable skills and opportunities so that they can succeed in life and contribute to their communities. SCORE believes that sport is a powerful tool to achieve social change. The Cup of Heroes actually shows what sport can do, and it’s really changing these young people’s lives. They are getting skills and opportunities they never had before. They are becoming proud of their communities and culture, showing their parents what they can achieve, and the parents are recognizing the value of sport.  The girls are also becoming respected leaders in these teams, and so on Women’s Day the Cup of Heroes also shows that young people are taking the lead in achieving gender equality”

The Cup of Heroes is made possible through SCORE’s partnership with Sport & Recreation South Africa, the Norwegian Olympic Committee & Confederation of Sport, the international Kicking AIDS Out network and adidas.

For more information contact Delia Wright, the Cup of Heroes Co-ordinator on +27 (0) 76 126 9967 or email delia@score.org.za.