ABOUT #SPORTIN

PalaBalestrazzi (better known as PalaCarrassi) is one of the main sports facility in the city of Bari. It was conceived for the Mediterranean Games in 1997. For different years, it was managed by the Municipality of Bari, but in 2010, the same municipality set a Public Call to which only Sports Clubs could apply. The sports club ASD PINK SPORT TIME BARI in 2010 joined the Call and won it for a 10-years management, whose period has been extended due to COVID emergency reasons.

During these years, ASD PINK SPORT TIME has built a familiar and friendly environment turning this sports facility into a sports centre for the community and the neighbourhood. It is a sports center family-centred – that is to say that the management tries as much as possible to offer complementary service for both kids and their parents (e.g. during sports activities for kids in the afternoon, there is always a sports class for adults). This leads to let both parties train and stay healthy. In order to encourage the subscriptions to the sports classes to both kid-mother/father, there are adequate family discounts.

Furthermore, it is important to underline that the sports facility is available to cooperate with all the schools of the neighbourhood, thus strengthening the relationship with the community. For example, very often the schools and their classes and professors use PalaBalestrazzi spaces in order to develop some curricular activities.  

ASD Pink Sport Time has also signed different partnership agreements with those organizations involved into disability and social issues, for these organizations there are special and adequate rates. Another important aspect is the collaboration with the other sports organizations, which has been lasting for such a long time. This collaboration makes the organization of the sports classes easier as there is the direct interest of all the actors in order to get things right. Both coaches and sports organization within PalaBalestrazzi have been working there for a long time, most of them since 2010. A good example of an organization, with whom ASD Pink Sport Time has always collaborated, is the dance organization ARG Dance Project. In particular, the staff of ARG Dance Project was able to keep all their dancers very close to the dance activity even during the lockdown. Actually, they involved their women and people into video activities, online meeting and dance classes, and outdoor trainings. No cases of dropout was registered.

The facility is not just used for sports purpose, now and then, there are cultural events, social and education meetings, most of them are meant to increase the awareness on social and cultural aspects of the frequent-users that join PalaBalestrazzi.

In conclusion, PalaBalestrazzi is not meant as a classic gym. It does not have the classic turnstiles – very typical in gyms – nor the classic fitness rooms with weights and fitness equipment. It is meant to let people be part of it.

Email: pinkbasket.stefania@gmail.com
Phone: 0039 3312703755
Web page: https://www.facebook.com/palacarrassi.bari

(Regional Basketball Federation Committee)

The Regional (Apulian) Basketball Federation Committee has its own headquarter within the Stadium of Bari, “Stadio della Vittoria”. The Committee works following the policies of Italian Basketball Federation, and according to them, it sets rules and organization for basketball activities within the Apulian territory. The Committee has direct contacts with the Regional basketball clubs, which are registered to the Committee. Other than the President, the Board Members, the Delegates and other bodies (coaches and referees), the activities are carried out by the staff office, which deals with: communication with sports clubs, organization of championships and calendars, organization of extra events. The Committee, during the years, has made a great job looking at the touristic side. That is to say, it has exploited the touristic power of a Region such as Apulia, and it has organized its main events relating basketball and tourism. To give an example: different basketball 3×3 event – both national and international – have been set into a touristic framework, through which the participants and their family could enjoy everything. Another important initiative of the Committee is related to the launch – the first throughout all the National Federation activities – a basketball e-tournament: e-basketball. This was dedicated to players and clubs already registered to the Committee, in order to let them be close to the Committee in a different way and experience one of the future side to which the world is looking at.

Email: info@fip.puglia.it
Phone: 0039 3312703755
Web page: http://www.fip.it/Regioni/puglia/

Sport for Life (SPV) is an association set up in 2007 to promote grassroot sport with a smile on your face. Gabriela Szabo, Olympic and World Champion, is a founding member and Honorary President. The first Sport for Life project, and certainly the dearest, Playgrounds, creates the biggest children’s playground every year, and the entrance is free for all children and for parents. What is actually happening at Playing Areas? The Park is divided into play areas, where games and competitions are running simultaneously. Children make a lot of movement, as they know better – by playing, parents join certain competitions, volunteers guide everyone and share prizes. And at the end of such a day, everyone wants to continue. Parallel to games and contests, artistic moments and sports demonstrations take place on the stage, and because the event is very close to Children’s Day, there are balloons and many smiles that turn into memorable memories. The campaign took place between 2005 and 2011, with an average of 5000 children participating per each annual edition, more than 300 of them from different children care centers. Along years, more than 30 companies sustained and financed the campaign and 12 top performance Romanian athletes were present among kids.

Email: office@sportpentruviata.ro
Phone: 0040 754033087
Web page: https://cupdf.com/document/sport-pentru-viata-este-o-campanie-sociala-initiata-de-campioana-olimpica.html

The “Volunteer in Sport” project was launched in 2012, with the first edition of the Bucharest International Semi-Marathon. It was based on the desire to actively involve as many volunteers as possible in order to develop the sport volunteer movement in Romania.

The www.voluntarinsport.ro  platform belongs to the Bucharest Running Club Association, organizer of the largest sports running events in Romania. Starting with 2008, Bucharest has been included in the international marathon circuit, thus joining the other European capitals that host such competitions each year. Events annually organized through “Volunteer in Sport”: Raiffeisen Bank Bucharest Marathon, OMV Petrom Bucharest Half-marathon, Uniqa Asigurari Bucharest 10K & Family Run, each event gathering between 10 to 30K participants.

Address: Strada Hagi Moscu Maria, București, Romania
Email: https://runinbucharest.com/contact/
Web page: http://www.voluntarinsport.ro

PROEDUS – Center for Educational and Sports Projects Bucharest, runs a program of volunteer social and sports, which is addressed to high school students from Bucharest educational institutions, recognized by the Ministry of National Education. The responsibility of volunteers-students is limited to some PROEDUS actions for pupils of grades 0 to VIII. Training and relaxing with PROEDUS: The Center for Educational and Sports Projects Bucharest – PROEDUS organize the “Weekend Excursions” project. The Weekend Excursions project aims to train PROEDUS volunteers for activities related to project and event organization, as well as their introduction into the specifics of PROEDUS activities during the school year. Within the seven-camp series, 918 high school students enrolled in the project “Be a volunteer PROEDUS” participated in the free training courses offered by the Bucharest City Hall through PROEDUS Center for Educational and Sports Projects in Bucharest. In 2020, PROEDUS organized the largest swimming project, the Academy of Sports – Free Swimming Courses for grades V – VIII took place between January 28 and February 2, 2020. Pupils from different schools in Bucharest benefited from 984 swimming hours, the trainings took place on Saturdays and Sundays, during 8 sessions, being coordinated, instructed and supervised by specialized coaches, certified in order to support the swimming lessons.

Address: Bloc S14, Bulevardul Decebal 11, București, Romania
Email: contact@proedus.ro
Phone: 0040 310699531
Web page: https://www.proedus.ro/

DeBunavoie is an online platform that provides volunteers with a synthesis of all the projects they can engage with, depending on the geographic area and field of interest, and also provides access to different organizations to the largest volunteer community in Romania. It connects people who want to volunteer with organizations that plan and coordinate this kind of activities. Their initiators are a group of  MSM Romania/CEU Business School Romania alumni. DeBunavoie has as privileged recipients all NGOs organizing volunteering based projects and who can find more efficient and predictable volunteers. And because we thought to leave you more time to do good deeds, DeBunavoie deals with all sorts of logistical details in your place, as follows: connects with the largest volunteer community, guides them to your project based on interests and place. DeBunavoie is a showcase where it is very easy to present your project, to promote your project on social networks. DeBunavoie mediates feedback on volunteers, knows how to handle projects that volunteers need to validate and create a community where you can communicate online with everyone else.

Email: info@debunavoie.ro
Phone: 0040 0724217601
Web page: http://debunavoie.ro/ro/about

The Erasmus+ financed project Parenting for Sport (P4S), coordinated by Asociatia Corporate Sport Romania, was thought to be also an exceptional opportunity for Romanian and international business companies working in Romania to be involved in project’s activities, realizing their mission of social responsibility (CSR- Corporate Social Responsibility) through sustaining the efforts of the project partners. The PARENTING IN SPORT vision of the project was to establish a strong and durable link between the people behind the corporations’ frame and the children in deprived environment, to encourage the first ones to volunteer for a noble cause and the second ones to feel included in a new world, the one of sports, as equal participants. This is why team efforts were directed in contacting business companies, seeking support and finding volunteers among their employees. 14 Romanian and international companies participated in Parenting for Sport project accepting to provide volunteers for trainings and matches. A similat result project had in convincing school principals to participate in School Games. On the 27 schools receiving an invitation to participate in Parenting for Sport project, 23 principals accepted a face-to-face discussion on their possible participation to the project and finally just 12 of them accepting to participate. The final figures of participation in Parenting for Sport project are shown below (figures include also volunteers from Sweden and UK as project partners): 3 countries involved in 4 different sports, 12 schools participating with more then 500 children, over 30 volunteers from 14 working companies.

Address: Bucuresti, Aleea Politehnicii, Nr.4, Sector 6, Romania
Email: office@corporate-games.ro
Phone: 0040 744567123
Web page: https://www.corporate-games.ro/ro

During Summer 2013, in Bucharest, benefitting of the help from Olimpia Sport Club and Parada Foundation, the National Institute for Sport Research organized a sport campaign PROMOTING SPORT FOR ALL, to attract children toward sports, to increase the visibility of the role of physical activities in their lives in terms of health, affiliation, social skills or personal development in general. Through different sports demonstrations and direct experiment, experimenting a diversity of sports (karate, boxing, football, archery, laser pistols, horse riding, bobsleigh and running), more than 350 participants, boys and girls from 3 to 18 years old from different schools in sectors 2 and 3 benefited of weekends full of sport at the Olimpia stadium and training premises.

Collaborating with Parada Foundation, the campaign involved also 10 street kids harboured by the foundation. The actin included showing street kids a place where the top athletes are coming for training to different sports, becoming part of playing teams, participating in sports they never had the opportunity to practice. The idea was to increase their desire to chose sport as a way of living and to show them that sport is a possibility to improve their social condition.

As parents are the first and most important role model for their children NISR considered that parents being active and doing sport will help their kids to act the same. This is why NISR acted to mobilize the entire family for a bike ride and show that sport is healthy and fun and doing sport together represent an easy way to spend quality time in family. Almost 30 families (parents or grandparents with their kids) participated in a bike event called I’m in love with my bike.

Address: Bucuresti, Bvd. Basarabia 41A, Romania
Email: office@sportscience.ro
Phone: 0040 311024912
Web page: http://www.sportscience.ro/

The project KEEP YOUNGSTERS INVOLVED aimed to find answers to this question: why so many youngsters abandon sport at the age of 12-14. In many European countries, many youngsters give up sport due to a lack of motivation, problems with school or job schedule or different interests. This project targeted youngsters (12-19 years) in general and specifically those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

Out of research, the project identified the most important 14 factors to prevent youngsters from dropping out and made them suitable for practical use. Sport professionals and volunteers (trainers, coaches) who work with youngsters can use the tools developed with the project to keep youngsters more involved in sport in their sport clubs. By involving youngsters more actively, for instance by asking them what they like to do, listening to their needs, or giving them responsibilities in sport programmes, they will develop their own personal skills. At the same time, it contributes to the active citizenship of young people, an active lifestyle and meeting physical activity guidelines. The project involved over 600 youngsters, boys and girls from 7 EU countries.

Address: Bucuresti, Bvd. Basarabia 41A, Romania
Email: office@sportscience.ro
Phone: 0040 311024912
Web page: http://www.sportscience.ro/

After the competition season 2021 ended, ŽKK Konjice organized summer basketball activities for teenage girls. The Active Basketball Summer project was based on the idea of bringing this sport closer to youngsters in the most fun way possible and encouraging them do decide to train regularly.

Children gathered once a week in order to play basketball and socialize. The first training took place at public swimming pool, where they had opportunity to try out themselves in throwing a basket out of the water and harden their skills in water games. Next time they searched for a basketball treasure around the sports park with the help of tips and fun tasks. Fan posters were also made during the gatherings. The common thread was learning basketball through game, without any obligation and completely free.

When the project has been brought to an end, the members of older selections of competitors went to the intensive preparations on mountain of Rogla. Girls over the age of 10 were also invited to join them. 

All the girls really enjoyed the basketball summer days. They were always coming back to practices with the smiles on their faces, hardly waiting for new adventures. The club believes that it’s very important to involve children in sports activities, where not only coaching is at forefront, but also socializing, building team spirit and above all – good will. Such projects encourage youngsters to be physically active and help them raise their self – esteem. The response was above expectations and  the Active Basketball Summer will be continued next year.

Address: Šolska ulica 3A, 3210 Slovenske Konjice, Slovenia
Email: kk.konjice@siol.net
Phone: 00386 37590770
Web page: http://www.kzs.si

Twirling is still a rather unrecognizable sport in Konjice. In order to popularize this activity, Twirling Club Slovenske Konjice decided to diversify summer days at the pool by holding workshops in July and August.

A coach and 6 to 9 members of the clubs participated in each event. The training started with inviting all visitors to join. The participants thoroughly exercised the wrists and hands to avoid the possibility on injury. Afterwards they presented the props to the visitors – a twirling rod and showed them how to hold it correctly. Learning to simply grip the stick in the vertical and horizontal directions followed as well as horizontal rotation. Children learnt this without a problem and continued with the horizontal rotation in the left hand. Furthermore, the basic roles were presented to the visitors – over the arm and elbow and some horizontal loops (circles). In the end, members of Twirling club taught the visitors a few simple rod changes in pairs. The workshops ended in the same way as they started – with the choreographies – individual, in pairs and two baton.

The Twirling days at the pool were a complete success. The club representatives, as well as children who joined the exercises, enjoyed the time spent together. New friendships were born and the club gained few fresh members.         

Address: Stari trg 24, 3210 Slovenske Konjice, Slovenia
Email: twirling.konjice@gmail.com
Phone: 00386 41851871
Web page: https://twirlingklub-konjice.wixsite.com

Since 2013, every last September Sunday in town of Konjice is reserved for running along Dravinja valley – from the winegrowing hills of Škalce to the tourist centre Zreče, where it turns and leads back to the foot of Konjiška gora through the finish line in the old town square. The longest route measures a half marathon of 21 km and is complemented by a medium – distance 10 km and a recreational 5 km. The children compete in children’s run – Konjičkov tek for preschool children and Šolski tek for primary school children.

The event is known for its special care for competitors, genuine homeliness and top organization. Marathon is accompanied by Glasbeni maraton, in which more than 200 musicians perform in the start – finish line and along the route. The runners are motivated by a new musical point at least every kilometre and a real musical spectacle starts at finish line at awarding the medals.

The attention is paid especially to primary school children. It gives them an opportunity to be a part of this great event and compete. They are given a start number whit a chip, which means that the exact net time is measured for every one of them. There is nothing more beautiful than proud in children’s eyes after they ran out the route with effort and received a medal for it. 

The fact that Konjiški maraton is a top event was acknowledged by the special recognition awarded by the Athletic Association of Slovenia, after it has reached all organizational points for the first time in the history of Slovenian running competitions.

Address: Ulica Toneta Melive 8a, 3210 Slovenske Konjice, Slovenia
Email: teci@konjiskimaraton.si
Phone: 00386 51655900
Web page: https://www.konjiskimaraton.si

Slovenian recreational motocross riders and professionals competed this year on the penultimate race of the season on the first Sunday on October. The AMZS Cup competition took place under the Škedenj viaduct and announced the final part of the domestic motocross races. It is primarily intended for those who are just starting out with motocross and can compete in a slightly shorter race of faster competitors, who also participate in the national championship and international events. Consequently, the crowd is usually the largest in the categories of beginners or amateurs. The higher participation is also guarantee for an interesting and tense experience.

AMD Konjice changed racing track considerably in the year 2021 in order to meet the required standards of motocross commission. The members of the association showed sport spirit in this situation too – they helped renewing the track on voluntary basis.

AMD also organizes education for its members in order to gain at least 22 motocross judges and the rest of the crew needed on the track. The education is organized in co – operation with AMZS – Slovenian National Automobile Association. After it is done, the candidates for judges have to pass the exam and get the motocross judge license.

This year new competition regulations were introduced. The special attention during education has been paid to the most frequent mistakes that have been noticed in previous events relating to behaviour of motocross judges during the race and important guide lines of conduct which need to be followed by drivers while on track.    

Address: Liptovska ulica 13, 3210 Slovenske Konjice, Slovenia
Email: avto-moto.drustvo@amis.net
Phone: 00386 41494058
Web page: http://www.amzs.si