CLIFTON College, Durban High School, George Campbell School and Glenwood High School are among the 23 leading schools in KZN that will be involved in the Discovery SharkSmart programme.
The schools will get a continually evolving stream of content aimed at ensuring that pupils and coaches get the latest medical and sport science information that is relevant to their lives.
After being established in 2001, the Discovery SharkSmart Programme has grown exponentially. The Discovery SharkSmart Schools of Excellence Programme was launched in 2010, with 10 high schools involved. Today the programme involves 23 schools from around KwaZulu-Natal, encouraging each to buy into the mantra of ‘Play Safe Play Fair’ and adhere to guidelines laid out by the programme in relation to rugby and general well-being.
The programme strives to reduce the number of injuries in high school sport by improving medical care standards at school sports events, encouraging the adoption of the latest sporting techniques, improving the understanding of injury prevention, and promoting sportsmanship and fair play.
The schools participating in SharkSmart are invited to attend a variety of seminars and workshops where members of The Sharks Coaching and Medical Staff share their knowledge. In recent years the programme has taken a firm stand on thorny issues such as the use of steroids, stimulants and the dangers of using unverified supplements.
Spearheaded by Dr Glen Hagemann, the Discovery SharkSmart Programme aligns itself with the SA Rugby BokSmart Programme and the SA institute for Drug Free Sport. The use of banned substances by school children has been a hugely pressing issue of late among schools and this is something that the SharkSmart Programme has addressed to a great extent and has been instrumental in trying to bring drug testing into schools.
For more information visit the Discovery SharkSmart website www.sharksmart.co.za
