Il-ħiliet li hemm bżonn sabiex tkun atleta professjonali, l-isfidi li jiffaċċjaw l-atleti flimkien mar-rwol tal-media sportiva kienu t-temi li ddominaw it-tieni u l-aħħar ġurnata tal-forum nazzjonali tal-isport fil-lukanda The Palace tas-Sliema s-sibt filgħodu.

Fost il-kelliema barranin spikka John Steele, personalita’ prominenti tal-isport fir-Renju Unit. Steele kien serva bħala kap eżekuttiv ta’ UK Sport, organiżżazzjoni li kellha l-għan li ttejjeb il-livell tal-atleti brittanniċi fil-logħob olimpiku u li waslet għal-rebħ rekord ta’ midalji minn Team Britain fl-edizzjonijiet ta’ Londra u Rio.

Steele wera kif l-atleti brittanniċi wasslu biex minn total ta’ 15-il midalja mirbuħa fil-logħob olimpiku ta’ Atlanta fl-1996 rebħu 67 midalja f’Rio fl-2016. Biex wasslu għal dawn ir-riżultati kellhom ibiddlu l-istrateġija sportiva fir-Renju Unit.

Bdew mis-settur tat-tfal hekk kif kollox jibda mill-iskejjel u mill-klabbs. Hemm bżonn li jsir ħafna xoghol f’dan is-settur għax l-ewwel esperjenza li t-tfal ikollhom fl-isport hija dik li tinfluwenzahom fil-futur. Huwa għal dan il-għan  li kull min hu involut fit-taħrig tat-tfal ikun jaf kif għandu jiggwidahom.

John Steele ghadda biex tkellem dwar ċertu fatturi li jtappnu r-reputazzjoni tal-isport u l-isportivi. Huwa importanti li ssir bidla fil-kultura sportiva u kif il-pubbliku jharsu lejn l-isport. Sfortunatament ċertu imgieba minn atleti, teħid ta’ sustanzi illegali, il-korruzzjoni u l-vjolenza qed inaffru ħafna nies mill-isport.

Meta jsiru l-bidliet wieħed ma għandu qatt jiddejjaq li jisfida is-sistema. Steele qal li meta kien qed jaħdem fil-qalba tal-isport fir-Renju Unit ma ddejjaqx jieħu deċiżjojnijiet u inizjattivi li fil-bidu deheru strambi jew impossibli li jitwettqu.

Dejjem żamm f’moħħu wkoll il-bidliet li għaddejja fid-dinja tal-lum u mexa ma’ dawn il-bidliet

Tkellem ukoll dwar il-problemi emozzjonali u psikoloġiċi li l-atleti jiffaċċjaw waqt il-karriera sportiva tagħhom. Problemi li qiegħdin dejjem jiżdiedu. Dawn iridu jigu indirizzati sew u l-entitajiet sportivi għandhom joffru aktar appoġġ f’dan ir-rigward.

John Steele temm l-intervent tiegħu billi saħaq li jekk pajiz irid ikollu suċċess fl-isport irid jagħraf li hemm bżonn jittieħdu deċizjonijiet iebsa u mhux daqstant popolari. Deċiżjonijiet bħal dawk li ittieħdu fir-Renju Unit fejn wara li raw liema kienu d-dixxiplini sportivi li bihom kellhom cans kbir ta’ success, iffukaw fuqhom finanzjarjament. Għaraf il-fatt li din l-istrateġija mhiex daqstant popolari, izda staqsa jekk hux aħjar li tkun brillanti fi ftit sports jew inkella medjokri f’ħafna dixxiplini sportivi.

Il-forum ghadda biex iffoka fuq l-atleti li jsibuha diffiċli sabiex jibnu karriera sportiva u fl-istess waqt ikomplu bix-xoghol professjonali taghhom.

L-ewwel kelliema kienu d-direttur tas-servizzi tal-MCAST Philip Vella, u l-lecturer fl-Universita’ ta’ Malta Dr Andrew Decelis li fissru l-ħidma li qed issir f’pajjizna mal-atleti tagħna.

Min-naħa tagħha Adele Muscat, sports psychologist fl-iskola nazzjonali tal-isport, tkellmet fuq l-istress li jgħaddu minnu ħafna studenti fit-tentattiv li jibbilanċjaw l-istudju mal-isport. L-iskola nazzjonali tal-isport tgħin u tiggwida lit-tfal dwar kif jistgħu isibu dan il-bilanċ. Għajnuna li għandha tingħata wkoll lil tfal ta’ skejjel oħra.

Il-forum ġie indirizzat ukoll minn Guy Taylor, direttur tat-Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme. Huwa tkellem dwar l-isfidi li jiltaqgħu magħhom dawk l-atleti li apparti l-karriera sportiva għandhom karriera ohra ta’ xogħol professjonali.

It-TAAS taħdem sabiex toħloq sistemi li jaraw li l-atleta jkun jista’ jistudja u jitħarreġ fl-isport. Tgħin sabiex atleta jiżviluppa fis-sħiħ il-potenzjal tiegħu kemm fl-isport kif ukoll fl-istudju jew ix-xoghol. Wieħed irid dejjem iżomm f’moħħu li se jkun hemm mument meta l-karriera sprotiva ta’ atleta ħa tasal fi tmiemha. Ghalhekk hu ta’ importanza li wara li jtemm din il-karriera sportiva, l-individwu jkun jista’ jkompli ħajtu bil-professjoni li jkun dejjem xtaq li jagħmel. It-TAAS tgħin sabiex atleta jiżviluppa fl-isport, fl-istudju u fil-professjoni tiegħu biex finalment jkun jista’ jilħaq il-potenzjal f’ħajtu.

Tema oħra diskussa kienet ir-rwol tal-media sportiva. Pierre Cassar, li għandu esperjenza kbira fil-qasam tax-xandir, tkellem dwar kif il-komunikazzjoni tista’ tkun effettiva. Importanti li wieħed ikun ċar f’dak li qed jirrapporta, mingħajr tul żejjed u kliem tekniku tqil. Ġurnalist irid ikun jaf l-udjenza tiegħu u dejjem iżomm f’moħħu għal min qed jirrapporta. Ġurnalist irid ukoll jagħraf juża mezzi ta’ komunikazzjoni differenti. Irid jimxi mat-tibdil taż-żminijiet hekk f’dawn l-aħħar snin imxejna mill-ġurnalizmu stampat għas-social media u n-news portals.

Il-president tal-għaqda ġurnalisti sports Sandro Micallef appella lill-assoċjazzjonijiet sportivi sabiex jinvestu fis-settur tal-komunikazzjoni tagħhom.

Qal li minħabba l-fatt li f’pajjizna huma ftit il-gurnalisti full time, l-assoċjazzjonijiet iridu jgħinu lill-istess ġurnalisti fil-promozzjoni tal-isport tagħhom. Dawn l-assoċjazzjonijiet jistgħu faċilment jibagħtu rapporti qosra u konċizi, preferibbilment b’ritratti jew filmati ta’ kwalita’ tajba.

Il-forum gie fi tmiemu b’intervista lis-segretarju parlamentari għaz-zagħzagħ, sport u għaqdiet volontarji l-onorevoli Clifton Grima. Irringrazzja lil dawk kollha li taw sehemhom tul dan il-forum. Qal li minn dejjem kienet il-viżjoni tal-gvern li ma jingħalaqx fih innifsu iżda li niddiskutu bejnietna u nieħdu t-tajjeb ta’ xulxin.

Dr Grima qal li wasal iż-żmien li nagħmlu qabża fil-kwalita’. Bżonn li intejjbu u insaħħu l-istrutturi tagħna u insiru aktar professjonali. Ħabbar li għal dan il-għan inħatar kumitat sabiex joħloq strateġija għall-isport lokali. Strateġija li tħares b’mod ambizzjuż lejn l-isport.

Irridu wkoll niżviluppaw lill-atleta bħala individwu sabiex ikun ta’ eżempju għall-oħrajn li allura jitħajjru huma wkoll li jibdew jipprattikaw l-isport. Hemm bżonn ukoll li nidħlu fl-iskejjel u naraw min huma dawk it-tfal li jippromettu fl-isport.

Various aspects rotating around  local sports will be discussed during the second  National Sport Forum hosted by SportMalta on the 26th and the 27th of October, 2018 at The Palace Hotel, Sliema. This year’s theme will be “Dynamics towards success’.  Over 150 sport administrators registered for this year’s event.

The forum is a valuable platform for providing organisations with essential information, sharing ideas and discussing common issues. Different roles within sport will be discussed, namely the role of the coach, the role of the parent and the role of the media. In addition, it will also give information on various topics, primarily innovative ideas towards improvement, commercialisation of sport facilities, sport academies and dual career. During the Forum, parallel meetings amongst different stakeholders on future collaboration will be held.

The forum will be addressed by local and top foreign guest speakers who will surely give an added value to the discussion.

Top speaker for this year’s event will be John Steele, a prominent figure in professional sport development in the UK. Steele has a unique blend of experience in creating and leading high performing teams, developed as a professional sports coach and as Chief Executive in the private, public, and not for profit sectors. He served on the England Rugby Board during the successful World Cup campaign of 2003 and appointed as CEO of the Rugby Football Union. The winning of the bid for the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics saw John take up post as CEO of UK Sport, the organisation tasked with delivering a world class high performance sport system and delivering medal success for Team GB. His tenure through the Beijing Games and lead into the London Games saw unprecedented results for Team GB.

Another  valuable speaker will be Sheela Quinn, Coaching Children Development Manager from Sport Ireland Coaching. Quinn has been leading the development of  the Sport Ireland Coaching Children and Physical Literacy programmes, since 2012.  She has been instrumental in a number of national, international and ICCE coaching projects; she is one of the authors of the coach educational programme iCoachKids.

The National Sport Forum will also be addressed by Guy Taylor who has been the Director of the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) from its inception. For over 15 years, TASS has supported thousands of Dual Career athletes, with many achieving notable successes later in their sporting and professional careers. TASS-supported athletes have gone on to win numerous World Championships, over 180 Olympic/Paralympic medals and many hold significant positions of influence in sport and business. He also advises and supports several countries and organisations in the development of their own athlete Dual Career programmes, including the EU, IOC, FIBA, FIFAPro and the Japanese, Indian and Brazilian Governments.

Other local speaker include Dr Andrew Decelis, Pierre Cassar, Sandro Micallef, Dr Chris Bonett, Robert Portelli and Charlene Attard coordinated by Rose Marie Mercieca who led the core team of this event. There will also be interventions from University of Malta, MCAST and National Sports School. SportMalta CEO Mark Cutajar will moderate the sessions on both days.

The National Sport Forum will be officially opened on Friday at 5.00pm by the Honourable Clifton Grima – Parliamentary Secretary Youths, Sports and Voluntary Organisations.   There will also be introductory interventions by Opposition Spokesperson for Sport Ryan Callus and SportMalta chairman Luciano Busuttil.

Friday’s session will tackle the role of the coach and will also deal with parental involvement in sports. There wuill be two parallel session on  the first day of the forum.  One will focus on the commercialisation of sport facilities and another on the possibility of establishing more accademies by SportMalta in partnership with the Sport Organisations.

Saturday’s ssession will commence at 9.30am and will elaborate on a way forward for sport organisations and the groundwork towards a sporting ccareer. The session will carry out a discussion on dual career followed by the role played by media in todays’ sport.

A participation certificate will be presented to all participants at the end of the Forum. The forum will be transmitted live on Facebook page BeActive – SportMalta.

Malta Classic 2018 held across 4 days between the 11th and 14th October was another exhilarating national event hosting 70 pre-1975 classic cars.

In its 11th year, Malta Classic welcomed thousands of spectators in the form of car enthusiasts, visitors and families to a celebration of the World’s most iconic automobiles and a true test of vintage speed and style.

The Overall winner for Malta Classic in its 11th year is Joseph Huber with a 1934 Riley TT Sprite.

Mtahleb Hill Climb by Thomas Smith on the 11th October 

1st Place: Michael Pace with a 1975 Honda Civic (Blue) Time: 81.487 seconds
2nd Place: Lucas Pace with a 1975 Honda Civic (White) Time: 82.153 seconds
3rd Place: Micky Hay with a 1973 Fischer Reynard Fury Time: 82.293 seconds

Concours d’Elegance by Mdina Glass on the 12th October 

Winner of the Popular Classics Category: Salvu Galea with a 1973 Ford Escort 1300L

Winner of Unrestored original condition: Mark Vella with a 1973 Volvo 144

Winner of the Pre-War Category: James Armeni with a 1929 Ford Model A Roadster Type 40B

Winner of Elegance Category: Clement de Piro with a 1948 Bentley R Type

Winner of Race Car Category: Egon Hofer with a 1969 Ferrari 212E

Winner of Best Restoration Category: Noel Vella with a 1967 Triumph Spitfire

Winner of the Best dressed category:  Hugh & Judy Mayes

Mdina Grand Prix – 13th & 14th October

Overall Malta Classic Mdina Grand Prix Winners:

1st Place: Joseph Huber with a 1934 Riley TT Sprite. 

2nd Place: David Stephenson with a 1928 Bugatti T35

3rd Place: Vincent Tourneur with a Porsche 356 Speedster 

This was the European School Sports Day 2018

Ġiet imnedija l-għaxar edizzjoni ta’ The President’s Solidarity Fun Run 2018 li din is-sena ser issir nhar l-4 ta’ Novembru u li bħal dejjem issir b’risq il-Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation. Waqt konferenza ta’ l-aħbarijiet, iċ-Chairman tal-Kumitat Organizzattiv, Mark Cutajar ħabbar li r-rotot ser jibqgħu dawk li issa indraw mill-Maltin u l-Għawdxin.

Il-mixjiet jitilqu mill-Universita’, minn Santa Venera u minn Raħal Ġdid, filwaqt li l-ġirja titlaq mir-Rabat. Ir-rotot kollha jingħaqdu qrib Bieb il-Bombi, meta imbagħad jimxu flimkien lejn Pjazza San Ġorġ, fil-Belt Valletta.

F’diskors qasir, il-President ta’ Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca qalet li bħal kull sena, il-Fun Run għandha tkun ċelebrazzjoni – ċelebrazzjoni tal-volontarjat, ċelebrazzjoni ta’ għaqda celebrazzjoni ta’ solidarjeta u tal-ġenerożita’ – valuri li jiddistingwuna minn oħrajn.

“Minn qalbi nittama li dakinhar tal-4 ta’ Novembru nkunu għal din l-attivita’, sabiex flimkien, nkunu ta’ spalla għal dawk ħutna Maltin u Għawdxin li ta’ kuljum jirrikorru għall-għajnuna tal-Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation,” tenniet il-President.

Dawk kollha li interessati jipparteċipaw għandhom jirrikorru fl-Uffiċċju tal-Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation, il-Belt Valletta, fil-Palazz ta’ Sant’ Anton, fil-fergħat ta’ BNF Bank, jew fl-ispiżeriji ta’ Brown’s. Applikazzjoni tista’ timtela’ wkoll fuq is-sit www.mccf.store

On the 28^th September, around 15,000 students attending schools from all Educational Sectors joined students from over 30 European Countries in the European School Sport Day (ESSD).   The ESSD is an annual sports day during which students are engaged in activities aimed at increasing physical activity and encourage students to adopt a healthy lifestyle.  Notwithstanding the event happening on the first Friday of the scholastic year, 70 schools recognised that the ESSD is an ideal team building opportunity for school staff and students, hence joining this initiative.

A variety of sports activities were organised within school premises and local open spaces such as beaches, parks, promenades and village squares.  Other than promote health and lifelong well-being, activities are aimed to develop students’ social competencies by being inclusive, fun, foster social inclusion, boost self-esteem, encourage gender equality and develop school ethos.

Activities culminated with the Flagship Event being held at Cottonera Sports Complex where students from St Margaret College participated 120 minutes of sports   celebration.  This event was attended by European Week of Sports Ambassadors Maria James and Ryan Fenech.  Dr Clifton Grima, Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Sport and Voluntary Organisations and Mark Cutajar, CEO SportMalta, addressed those present for the event.

This ESSD is an EU Commission initiative and forms part of the European Week of Sport’s (EWoS) #BeActive Campaign.  SportMalta supported all participating schools in the successful organisation of their ESSD2018.

Il-Gimgha Ewropeja ta’ l-isport giet fi tmiema bil-kbir fi tmiem il-gimgha bil-BeActive Nigjht fil-kumpless Sportiv ta’ Hal Kirkop.  Din il-gimgha Ewropea giet organizzata f’pajjizna minn SportMalta b’fondi ta` l-Unjoni Ewropea.  Gimgha li rat lil pajjizi kollha fl-Unjoni u stati mill-balkani jqajjmu kuxjenza biex iktar nies jaghmlu Sport u attivita fizika.

L-attivita ta` Sibt kellha attendenza numeruza hafna u bdiet fi sitta u baqqet sejra sa nofs il-lejl.  Kien hemm esebizzjonijiet u kompetizzjonijiet ta’ Duathon  b’iktar minn 50 tifel u tifla jiehu sehem, cross fit li gabar mijiet ta partecipanti, line dancing b’registrazzjoni li qabzet il-150 ruh, netball , diversi sessjonijiet ta’ fitness, zfin , tournament ta` 3 kontra 3 baskitbol, esebizzjoniji tal-BMX, table tennis u anke ta’ uhud mill-karozzi li ser jiehdu sehem fil-Malta Classic 2018 li ser ssir f’nofs ottubru li gej.

Fi tmiem l-attivita il-partecipanti kollha inghaqdu f’fitness partyu li baqa sejjer sa nofs illlejla biex il-pajjizi kollha ta’ l-Ewropa jghalqu il-gimgha Ewropea ta’ l-isport fl-istess hin.

Din l-attvita gabet fi tmiemha iktar minn 53 avveniment u partecipazzjoni ta’ iktar minn 25 elf ruh f’Malta u ghawdex.  SportMalta tinsab ferm ku ntenta b’dawn ic-cifri u tinsab kommessa biex iktar nies jigu imhegga biex jiehdu sehem fl-isport li huwa garanzija ta’ hajja ahjar.

Fl-għeluq tal-ġimgħa Ewropea tal-isport, ġie inawgurat proġett li minbarra l-pubbliku se jibbenefikaw minnu dawk li jipprattikaw l-isport tal-hill climb.

Il-progett sar b’investiment ta’ hames mija u sebghin elf  ewro u fost oħrajn ser joffri aktar sigurtà għad-dilettanti li jsegwu t-tlielaq tal-karozzi fil-kampjonat tal-hillclimb fl-Imtaħleb.

Id-dilettanti tat-tlielaq tal-karozziissoddisfaw xewqa oħra tagħhom bl-inawgurazzjoni ta’ xogħlijiet li saru fit-telgħa tal-Imtaħleb li tintuża mid-dilettanti għal Hillclimbs.  Dan bla dubju ta xejn ser isservi biex joghla il-livell fi sewqan f’din it-triq u anke jaghti il-possibilita li aktar sewwieqa barranin jigu jikompetu Malta,.  Id-dilettanti tal-Hill Climb li jtellqu b’veloċità f’telgħa mimlija sfidi jorganizzaw kampjonat kull sena li matulu jsiru tmien tlielaq u jtellqu f’kategoriji differenti.

Il-proġett sar b’investiment ta’ aktar min-nofs miljun Ewro fuq l-inzijattiva ta’ Sportsmalta li sabu l-għajnuna tal-Ministeru tal-Infrastrutura u l-Proġetti Kapitali. Il-Kap Ezekuttiv ta’ Sport Malta, Mark Cutajar, qal li dan hu investiment ieħor fl-infrastruttura sportiva li kien ilu mixtieq mid-dilettanti numerużi tal-hillclimbs.

Il-Kap Ezekuttiv ta’  SportMalta, Mark Cutajar  qal li dan il-progett proġett ghandu  2.4 km ta’ asfaltar tal-ogħla livell. Barra minn hekk saru wkoll barriers apposta, 370 għall-protezzjoni tas-sewwieqa, u anki għal meta ma jkunx hawn it-tlielaq, għax hawn jużah il-pubbliku inġenerali.

Il-proġett ġie inawgurat mill-Ministru għat-Trasport u l-Infrastruttura Ian Borg u mis-Segretarju Parlamentari għall-Isport Clifton Grima fil-prezenza tac-Cermen ta` SportMalta Luciano Busutti.

Il-Ministru Borg qal li l-Gvern wettaq din il-wegħda elettorali u flimkien ma’ Sports Malta għadu qiegħed jaħdem fuq il-wegħda għal korsa tat-tlielaq tal-karozzi.

Is-Segretarju Parlamentari Clifton Grima qal li l-Gvern qed jinvesti fl-infrastruttura u fl-atleti biex jikkompetu u jieħdu esperjenza barra minn xtutna. Dr Grima qal li din is-sena għad iridu jinfetħu tliet faċilitajiet oħra għall-isportivi – akkademja tal-isnooker, il-grawnds ta’ Marsaskala u ta’ Birżebbuġa. Qal li ftit ġranet oħra se jitqassmu €88,000 għad-dilettanti tal-karozzi biex jgħinuhom jipparteċipaw f’kompetizzjonijiet barra l-pajjiż.

Tonio Cini, President tal-Malta Motor Sport Federation irringrazzja lil Gvern ta` xoghol siewi li qed ssir ghal dan l-Isport f’pajjizna.

The ASA, in collaboration with SportMalta organised water polo tournaments for the U/13s, women and masters as part of the European Week of Sport and #Be Active Campaign.  These were held on the 19^th and 21^st September 2018 at the Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex.

San Giljan, Barracudas, Sliema and Balluta Young Boys participated in the Masters Tournament which was won by Sliema followed by San Giljan as Runners Up.

There were six teams in the Women’s Tournament, namely, Sliema, San Giljan, M’Skala, B’Bugia, Exiles and Sirens.  This tournament was also won by Sliema with Exiles and San Giljan placing 2^nd and 3^rd respectively.

In the U/13 category the participating teams were San Giljan, Sirens, Otters, Sliema and M’Skala.  Once again Sliema won this tournament with Sirens and Otters placing 2^nd and 3^rd respectively.

Karl Izzo, European Week of Sport Ambassador and Mark Cutajar, CEO SportMalta presented all participants with medals, trophies and #Be Active mementos.