DURBAN FORUM
LEGACY
DURBAN FORUM LEGACY
As part of the Legacy
programme that stemmed from
the recent 10th International
Forum on Elite Sport held
in Durban in August, global
vibration technology leaders,
Power Plate, donated state-of-
the-art equipment to sport High
Performance Centres in rural
KwaZulu-Natal at Mtubatuba
and Newcastle, as identified by
the KZN Department of Sport
and Recreation.
Power Plate is an in-demand piece of
equipment by international athletes at
sporting events around the world, to help
athletes prepare their bodies better for
training and competition, reduce risk of
injury, and speed up recovery.
The innovative Football For Life project
in Mtubatuba took delivery of two Power
Plate units to support the broad range
sporting and lifestyle programme run
by Swedish trainer Anna Nyman, who
supports a large network of local youths
with sweeping sport conditioning, lifestyle,
empowerment, and wellness programmes.
“I went to the Power Plate workshops
that were hosted at the Prime Human
Performance Institute during the recent
International Forum on Elite Sport,” said
Programme Manager Nyman.
“The Power Plate is quite new to me
and we are using the machine for injury
prevention for the players, through warm
up and core stability exercises.
“The team are very excited to be using
the machine and I am sure we will see the
benefits of it in the not too distant future.”
A day later the Newcastle High School,
that has been designated by the
Department of Sport as a regional Sports
Focus school, was the recipient of two
Power Plate machines that will become
integral to the High Performance Centre
that is being established at the school.
The town’s mayor Councillor Musa
Ngubane was delighted that the
Newcastle sport node had been singled
out as a recipient for the donation of
equipment.
“Newcastle is a sport hotspot,” said
Ngubane. “Newcastle and the Amajuba
District has got talent. We are working
hard at giving opportunities to local
sportsmen and women, and trying to
keep them here rather than lose them to
Durban.”
School principal Manuel Govender said
the long term plans for the school’s High
Performance Centre was part of their
holistic plan for their learners.
“Ever since this school was identified as
Sport Focus School we decided to take it
to a whole new level.
“We are identifying learners from rural
areas that do not have the ability to go to
a gym to refine their ability in their sport.
We want to become that facility.”
He added that investment in their High
Performance facility had shown immediate
results.
“The impact has been huge,” said
Govender. “We have seen marked
improvement in our athletes’ conditioning
and the results they are achieving,
leading to their selections for the regional
Amajuba District teams.
Power Plate representative Erica Minter
said that the legacy programme was
a key component of reaching into
disadvantaged communities in territories
where advanced technology for elite sport
development was not affordable or easily
accessible.
“Power Plate can do so much for so many
people. It can be life-changing on so many
different levels.
“In areas where youngsters might not
necessarily be able to reach their full
sporting potential, it is really rewarding to
be able to facilitate this.
“We have a great partnership in place
with the local governme nt and the Prime
Sport Development Trust to ensure that
the machines get used optimally to help
young athletes achieve their full potential,”
she added.
The Prime Trust is envolved in several
sports development projects in
underprivileged communites in KwaZulu-
Natal. If you would like to know more or
would like to assist with these initiatives
please contact [email protected]