Sports Week = organized chaos at its finest

Remember that time, in Ghana, where I didn’t teach for several weeks due to a national teacher’s strike? No, there isn’t another teacher’s strike... but it is Sports Week!

In Ghana schools, physical education is not built into the class schedule. Rather, students can voluntarily be on sports teams and the school occasionally calls off classes (for a half or whole day) to play sports in the place of class. Sometimes, local schools visit each other to compete in specific sports (during those half/full days off).

Then, in second term, there is an entire sports week. So, as you might have already figured, we have a whole week off class – a whole week dedicated to competing against other teams in the area. While Sports Week was officially this week, the teachers (coaches) have needed to train their players to prepare for this week... meaning that the past several weeks were so disorganized and classes were so irregular (with half of the kids gone for “training” or school simply ending mid-day to train) that I only taught 50% of the time. Being used to Ghana, I’ve adjusted to this lack of teaching by hanging out with the 4-H pigs and reading Harry Potter.

This year, sports week was held in the next town over, Bunso. The Saviour students (both JHS and Primary) were hauled in a tro-tro (12 passenger van) on Tuesday, squished 2-3 to a seat, for a 20 minute ride of them singing songs loudly and in incredible rhythm. I sat in the hot sun with 2 elementary kids on my lap in the front seat and smiled as they sang the Saviour School song – it was the first time I had heard it! Upon arriving, in clown-car fashion, the students piled out of the van and ran into the “park” or school yard set up for sports activities. The hiplife music was already blasting with the well-established sound system. Food vendors (AKA ladies selling food out of Tupperware on their heads) were everywhere. Schools intermingled, noted by the varying colors of local school uniforms. Goats occasionally wandered through the fields. In summary, it was the most organized chaos I’ve experienced so far in Ghana.

The Saviour Primary School Soccer team... and other random photobombers

Now let’s turn to the sports themselves. As should be expected (for just about every other country than the US), soccer was the most popular sport. The full-sized football (soccer) field was already surrounded by tents and chairs for the teachers when I arrived, and hundreds of school children closely watching the movements of the well-dressed athletes. Any time a team scored, the majority of the fans (aka classmates) of the scoring team would run onto the field in celebration, sending up a cloud of dust from the red African soil.

Soccer is intense in Ghana... even on such scruffy turf.

Apart from soccer, the most popular sport for these youths is netball. Netball, played by girls, is a unique African rendition of basketball – however, because the ground you are playing on is most likely not conducive to dribbling, you pass the ball in the air. Also, because it’s Africa and women are tough, there is a lot of heavy contact in this sport. So, I would say that netball is like a mix of rugby and basketball. There are 2 metal “hoops” with no actual nets hanging from them (again, let’s be African-appropriate) spread across the field (about 3/4 the size of a typical basketball court) and the girls pass the ball – but they cannot carry it, meaning they get only 1 step in addition to their landing step to transfer the ball to someone else.

Netball = rugby + basketball. See the metal ring? No backboard or net = better accuracy.

There's also volleyball. One of my favorite sports, and one that can easily be adapted to Africa. Ghana volleyball is like US beach volleyball – the court is sandy. Other than the ground, though, it is identical to US volleyball. Students also participate in track events – short and long-distance running.

The Saviour JHS Volleyball Team - they know they be ballin'

Then there are the casual, schoolyard games that I learned while here (not played officially during sports week). Ampe is normally a girls’ game, whereby two girls “challenge” each other by jumping up and down, clapping, and stamping their feet opposite each other in a catchy rhythm. Once you get into it, it is quite a physically active game – not one I am about to challenge a 10-year old girl to anytime soon. Then there’s handball – the Ghana equivalent to what we know as “monkey in the middle.” You pass a ball to a friend/friends over the head of a single/several people, as they try to get the ball if you fail to throw or catch properly. Finally, there’s dancing! All Ghanaian kids know how to dance, and dance super well. Give them a beat (or let them make it themselves) and their genetically-present musical-dance talents will shine. I’ve heard from several Ghanaians that white people can’t dance (although they love it when I try) and I don’t feel offended at all – obronis really can’t dance the same way these Ghanaians rock out (impressive pelvic thrusts are commonly seen in kids as young as 1-2 years old).

Anyways, back to sports week. Games were organized between local schools for both the primary and secondary level. Playoffs are organized, then a school claims the prize of winner for each sport. The soccer JHS winners get to take home the area “trophy” for the year... I sure hope Saviour gets to bring it back this year! They won the first soccer match and made it to the playoffs, but I didn’t get to see the championship game.

It’s been a nice little break, but I need to get myself back on track for next week – however, I am told that the Independence Day celebrations (March 6) take much preparation. Who knows when I will get to have a “normal” school week ever again? I just take it as the day brings it – and I look for those chances to SEE these kids and invest in them. Last week, when classes weren’t really going on, I hosted a few Spanish sessions for some form 3 girls who were super interested. I also helped clean the pig pens when I was supposed to be teaching (given there were no students in the class) and I am also visiting the Saviour Senior High School to help them start a 4-H club. More about these happenings and other life reflections in the next blog... keep in touch! 

What more could a teenager want than a Ghanaian Sports Week?