Sports could transform lives says Robert Sam

May 08, 2016 Sports

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God’s love conquers all

By Sean Devers
Director of the Samaritan Sports Support System and printers of School News, 60-year-old Robert Sam, feels that Sports and love of God can help to transform lives and this can be done by getting sports in schools.

Earlier this year, Nicholas Fraser, Head of the Physical Education Department in the Education Ministry, approved this programme after his department met with Sam.
In that meeting Sam, who was a Math teacher and games master at Central High School from 1973-74, sold the idea of the Ministry supporting Primary schools with regular Physical Education, Recreation and Sports programmes.
It was recommended that Sam, a former National U-23 Rugby Captain and Coach, accompanied by PE Officer Rubens Horace be permitted to conduct meetings with Head teachers during this term to identify and recommend suitable activities in Primary schools in Georgetown.
The two bodies will collaborate with the implementation of the PE programme and Sports Curriculum, train teachers in various sports activates, preparing students for Courts PEE WEE Football competition in the September term and developing recreational activities for schools caring for children with disabilities.
“We are authorized by the Education Ministry to train teachers in sports among other things. More importantly they will also be taught the love of God and its power to transform lives. We will start in Georgetown,” Sam disclosed.
Sam, a firm believer in God, is no stranger to sports. He was a former Champion Athlete at Queens College in the early 1970s and the 200m record of 22.3 seconds is still a school record. In 1978, while serving as the PE Teacher at Queens College, he was Coach of the school’s cricket team which toured Barbados.
That team included the Charles brothers (Garfield & Roger) and a 15-year-old Roger Harper who all went on to play for Guyana, with Harper graduated to represent the West Indies Test team.
Sam was also Coach and Manager of Hornets Rugby Football Club from 1985-88 and a founder member of the Guyana PE Teachers’ Association.
In 2001 Sam was Manager of a senior Guyana Football team which toured Suriname and in 2009 began Sports Programme for 60 children from the Sophia Care Centre and youth from the Love and Faith Church enlarged the group to 100.
This training Sam said will discover and develop the abilities in Teachers to be Coaches, Referees, Umpires, Physiotherapists and Administrators.
“This will enable Teachers to better interact with all students, especially when more than two thirds of the student population are not academic front runners but are otherwise gifted,” Sam said.
He believes that the lack of attention to these other gifts and abilities of this majority has been disastrous. Sam also feels with school not being as exciting as it should be, other destructive activities have attracted the students’ attention.
“Our Education system is seriously challenged with dropouts, overall poor academic performances, absenteeism, gang, drugs and sexual activities, suicide and violent behavior. Teachers work under stressful conditions and can use all the help they could get. A good sports programme offers real help,” Sam stressed.
Sam believes that God’s love (for self, parents, teachers, Students and Country) is the answer to these challenges.
“These newly trained teachers will make a big difference, reaching and rescuing previously unreachable students, changing their lives through mentoring and the transforming power of God’s love,” says Sam.
Sam informed that the desire is to conduct a similar programme with Churches. The Church is walking in the love of God and to this love we want to add sports training, discipline, and ultimately, transformation of the sports world.
“We can begin the process of establishing sports training as a forte of Religious bodies of all faiths, by coming to the rescue of the students, parents and teachers involved in the annual schools’ athletic and other sports programmes.”
Sam noted that by the first week of school in September, dates for Inter-House sports are announced for immediate competition, with no prior training for the students. “This of course is foolishness, dangerous and destructive,” he lamented.
“It means that we in the church and other religious organizations must first submit ourselves to be trained and accredited by the various National Associations to achieve the necessary competence. You will be informed of sports training courses available to you and you should encourage your membership to attend,” Sam informed.
Sports has been used to bridge destructive divides such as racial, religious, ethnic, class, financial, political, educational among other social ills.
Sam says that most if not all education experts agree on one thing which is that the golden age of leaning is from birth to about 13. He believes that during that period, the foundation of all learning must be laid.
“After that age, building on that foundation takes place but when improper foundations are laid, it is extremely difficult or impossible to attain expected heights in any sphere of endeavor, including sports,” Sam pointed out.
Only local Churches, Temples and Mosques whose members attend the courses can be involved in the proposed July/August sports training sessions.
“By the end of June, before schools are closed we will inform the schools of which religious bodies will be involved in this project,” Sam added.
Sam emphasized the importance of trying to make a difference with a quote from the Bible with Apostle Paul saying he’d be willing by all things to all men that he may perhaps win some.
“Let the Church, Teachers and other Religious institutions be relevant, important and necessary to the sports world as Coaches, Referees, Umpires, Managers, Administrators or Journalists that we may win many. Lets wake up, it revival time!” Sam added.
Sam said for 40 years he had one great passion which is improving the quality of sports and the lives of its participants.
Teachers, Churches and other religious and civic organizations desirous of being involved in this programme can make contact with Sam on telephone numbers 231-3080, 226-3389 or 618-6137.

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