Over 125 players coming from six different nurseries of water polo kicked start this year’s edition of the European Week of Sport with an Under 11  water polo festival organised by SportMalta and the Aquatic Sport Association of Malta at the National Pool Complex.

The tournament spread over two days saw a round robin league between six teams namely,  Marsascala, Neptunes, Gozitan Otters, Sirens boys, Sirens girls and  St Julians.  The main aim behind this tournament is to promote the game and give competition experience to the future talents this successful sport.

Hon Clifton Grima, Parliamentary Secretary for Sport and SportMalta Chairman Luciano Busuttil visited the tournament on day one where they appreciated the work being done by SportMalta, ASA, coaches and parents together with the enthusiasm of the young ones playing the league.  Present also Malta’s Ambassador for #BeActive Campaign and National Water Polo team coach Karl Izzo.

Gozitan Otters surprised everyone by winning all five matches with a narrow margin.  Marsascala finished second although having same points as Sirens boys but having won the direct encounter.  Sirens Boys finished third.  St Julians placed fourth.  To their credit, they played at times the best water polo during the tournament.  Neptunes had their good moments but were not consistent.  Big credit go to the female side of Sirens.  They managed to give a decent competition in all matches.  Their determination and enthusiasm was admirable.

At the end of the tournament SportMalta CEO, Mark Cutajar and ASA vice President Karl Galea, presented all the participants with a medal commemorating this year’s European Week of Sport and a colourful t-shirt sponsored by the #BeActive Campaign.  They both encouraged players and parents to participate more in sport and physical activity.  They told the kids that they need to be the ambassadors of sport within society.

Is-Segretarju Parlamentari għaż-Żgħażagħ u Sport Clifton Grima jifraħ lit-team Malti tal-Malta Table Footabll li ħadu sehem fl-FISTF Grand Prix tal-Greċja li intlgħab ġewwa Ateni fejn ħadu sehem tlett plejers maltin u għal darb’ oħra kisbu riżultati tajbin, fejn ġew mirbuħa ż-żewġ kompetizzjonijiet prinċipali.

Is-Segretarju Parlamentari Grima stqarr li dak li għamlu it-tim tat-Table Footbal huwa ta’ awgurju u kuraġġ għal aktar individwi jew klabbs Maltin fil-futur, meta dawn jiġu biex jirrapreżentaw lil Malta barra l-pajjiż.

Fil-kategorija Open, kemm Massimo Cremona u anke Angelo Borg rebħu l-gruppi rispettivi tagħhom u avvanzaw għall-fażi tal-eliminazzjoni diretta. Fil-finali, Cremona lagħab u għeleb lil Spiros Chantzaras bir-riżultat ta’ tnejn b’wieħed, wara l-ħin barrani u b’hekk rebaħ il-Grand Prix tal-Greċja.

Min naħa tieghu, Jason Pisani ħa sehem fil-kategorija tal-Veterani u rebaħ il-logħob kollu fil fażi tal-gruppi. Fil-kwarti tal-finali huwa elimina lil Kastelanos tnejn b’xejn, fis-semi finali rebaħ tlieta kontra tnejn ma’ Kostas Kechris. Fil-finali, Pisani għeleb lil Zavos bir-riżultat ta’ tnejn b’wieħed u b’hekk għamel dopjetta Maltija fil-Grand Prix tal-Grecja.

Waqt il-preżentazzjoni tas-‘shields’, trofej u palji fil-Boċċi Drome, il-Kottonera Sports Complex mis-Segretarju Parlamentari għaż-Żgħażagħ, Sport u Għaqdiet tal-Volontarjat, Clifton Grima awgura lil Bormla għas-suċċessi li kisbu fir-Regatta tal-Vitorja.

Is-Segretarju Parlamentari saħaq li “s-Segretarjat flimkien ma’ SportMalta ħa nkunu qegħdin noħorġu l-id tal-ħbiberija magħkom biex il-kollborazzjoni li diġa hemm eżistenti, nkomplu nkabbruha għax naħseb li huwa xieraq li nerġgħu nqajjmu u nkabbru l-entużjażmu għar-Regatta.”

Fl-aħħar tal-ġimgħa li għaddiet taħt xita kontinwa saru t-tiġrijiet tar-Regatta, bil-Club ta’ Bormla jirbaħ iż-żewġ Shields dik tal-kategorija Open u anke fik tal-kategorija B hekk kif rebħu tmienja mill-għaxar tiġrijiet ipprogrammati. Bormla rebħu erba’ palijiet tal-ewwel fil-kategorija Open, u erba’ palijiet tal-ewwel fil-kategorija B.

Illum saret żjara mill-Ministru Dr Ian Borg u s-Segretarju Parlamentari Dr Clifton Grima fil-Football Pitch f’Marsascala. Permezz ta’ fondi mill-Ministeru għall-Edukazzjoni u x-Xogħol u l-ħidma tal-Works Department, qed isir xogħol estensiv sabiex jinbena football pitch attrezzat f’din il-parti ta’ Malta.

Il-Ministru Borg faħħar ix-xogħol li jsir mid-Dipartiment tax-Xogħlijiet Pubbliċi, liema Direttorat huwa maqsum kemm f’sezzjonijiet ta’ ħaddiema professjonisti li jagħtu s-sapport meħtieg lill-Ministeri u entitajiet Governattivi fl-ippjanar tal-proġetti kapitali; kif ukoll permezz ta’ sezzjonijiet magħmula mill-ħaddiema tal-id u snajja importanti fil-fażi ta’ implimentazzjoni. Sostna li l-irwol għall-ġejjieni tal-istess Dipartiment għandu jkompli jevolvi mar-realtajiet li qed jesperjenza pajjiżna llum il-gurnata u jinsab konvint li l-ħaddiema kollha ser ikunu protagonisti f’dan kollu.

Dan il-proġett jikkonsisti fil-bini ta’ pitch tal-football bil-faċilitajiet kollha adattati, fosthom changing rooms, ġibjun, restaurant/cafeteria, substation u faċilitajiet oħra għan-nursery, u se jkun mgħoddi lill-klabb tal-football fi stat komplut. Dan jinkludi servizzi ta’ dawl u ilma, madum, kisi, aperturi u railings tal-ħadid, filwaqt li l-pitch ser jitlesta b’turf artifiċjali, flood lights u soft fence. Bħalissa bdiet it-tħejjija għax-xogħol ta’ taħmil u skavar wara li s-servizzi kollha li kienu jiffurmaw parti mill-infrastruttura tal-family park ġew skonnettjati.

Ix-xogħol, li beda matul dawn l-ahhar gimghat tas-sajf, mistenni jitlesta fi żmien sena, u l-proġett kollu ser jiswa €2.2 miljun. Dr Borg awgura l-ħidma t-tajba lil kull min qiegħed jikkontribwixxi għat-twettieq ta’ dan il-proġett.

Is-Segretarju Parlamentari għaż-Żgħażagħ, Sport u Għaqdiet Volontarji Clifton Grima qal li l-gvern qiegħed jiffoka fuq it-titjib ta’ faċilitajiet eżistenti, flimkien mal-bini ta’ oħrajn ġodda. Dan mhux qiegħed jiġri biss għall-football, imma għal tipi oħra ta’ sport differenti. Il-gvern qiegħed jirsisti sabiex l-isport isir parti mill-ħajja tal-pubbliku ġenerali.

Dr Grima żied jgħid li kull klabb għandu jinsisti li jkollu l-aqwa faċilitajiet possibli, imma li għandu wkoll jieħu ħsieb dawk li diġà għandu, sabiex dawn jiġu użati bl-aħjar mod possibli u ssir manutenzjoni adattata. Is-Segretarju Parlamentari tkellem ukoll dwar il-liġi li permezz tagħha, dawn il-faċilitajiet jistgħu jintużaw b’mod kummerċjali, sabiex kull assoċċjazzjoni jew klabb isir awtosuffiċjenti.

Fil-jiem li għaddew fil-Ġnien tal-Gardjola l-Isla waqt konferenza tal-aħbarijiet, ttellgħu l-poloz tar-Regatta ta’ Jum il-Vitorja. Il-Port il-Kbir għal darb’oħra ser joffri sfond għal din ir-regatta li fiha ser jieħdu sehem 7 distretti li huma: il-Birgu, Birżebbuġa,  Bormla, l-Isla, il-Kalkara, il-Marsa u Marsamxett.  Huma jipparteċipaw f’għaxart itlielaq f’żewġ kategoriji differenti; A u B. Din is-sena mistennija jieħdu sehem 120 qaddief li magħhom jiżdiedu 25 sostitut li għandhom għan komuni, li huwa dak li jirbħu s-shield tar-regatta ta’ Jum il-Vitorja.

Minbarra l-poloz tal-korsiji għall-10 itlielaq, waqt il-konferenza tal-aħbarijiet indirizza lil dawk preżenti, is-Segretarju Parlamentari għaż-Żgħażagħ, Sport u Għaqdiet tal-Volontarjat, Dr Clifton Grima, li filwaqt li rringrazzja lil dawk kollha involuti fir regatta, saħaq li “bħala gvern kommessi li nipprovdu l-għajnuna kollha neċessarja fl-isport tar-regatta”.

Is-Segretarju Parlamentari qal li “SportMalta tagħti ‘input’ dirett fir-regatta nazzjonali billi tagħti l-għajnuna tagħha finanzjarjament biex isir dan l-avviniment, tieħu ħsieb il-loġistika tar-regatta iżda tagħti awtonomija lill-Federazzjoni fir-rigward tat-tlielaq, tassisti lill-klabbs kollha b’assistenza finanzjarja biex jibnu dgħajsa kull klabb u kif ukoll fuq il-websajt ta’ SportMalta r-riżultati tar-regatta jiġu trażmessi live.”

Tradizzjonalment, id-dgħajjes li jintużaw huma frejgatini, kajjikki, dgħajjes tal-pass u tal-midalji.  Dawn id-dgħajjes huma esebizzjoni ħajja ta’ sengħa li kull ma tmur qiegħda tintilef.  Dan għaliex dawn id-dgħajjes huma wkoll mibnija f’pajjiżna. Oriġinarjament, id-dgħajjes kienu tal-istess għamla bħal dawk li kienu jintużaw fil-ħidma ta’ kuljum mill-barklori, madanakollu maż-żmien saru xi modifikazzjonijiet sabiex dawn ikunu aktar utilizzati bħala dgħajjes tat-tlielaq.

Intant ir-Regatta ta’ Jum il-Vitorja pjanata li tibda fis-1.00pm u l-pjazzament tal-korsiji ser ikun kif ġej:

The Parliamentary Secretary for Youths, Sports and Voluntary Organisations meets with representations of sports organisations

 Hon Clifton Grima, Parliamentary Secretary for Youths, Sports and Voluntary Organisations today officially met for the first time representatives from all the sports organisations.

Dr. Grima declared that it is his pleasure to meet with the sports organisations and referred to the government’s commitment through SportMalta to improve the administration of sport organisations to correspond with the increasingly high standards of the sports sector in our country. He stated that for associations to become more professional it is necessary to strengthen the regulatory framework so that they achieve the appropriate level and as a result be awarded the accreditation deserved. In particular, he referred to the quality of the structure within which organisations operate and the services offered. The Parliamentary Secretary emphasised on the importance that SportMalta and the associations work hand in hand for the ultimate common goal of enriching sports in general. He referred to several projects launched by SportMalta with the unique aim of assisting associations.

During the meeting presentations about the requirements by SportMalta for registration purposes, the need to maintain the minimum standards in the organisations’ statutes as well as the procedures for submission of documents to SportMalta were made.

Financial grants were distributed during the ceremony to associations, clubs and individual athletes so that 316,000 euros have already been allocated since the beginning of this year so far.

Altogether 20 athletes and 27 associations benefited from financial aids to date during this second ceremony out of four that SportMalta holds every year.

Addresses were also given by the Chairman and the Chief Executive of SportMalta, Luciano Busuttil and Mark Cutajar, as well as from Dr. Karen Zammit Southerwood, Director for Regulatory Affairs at SportMalta and Ms. Ninette Sammut, official in charge of the accreditation unit within the Directorate for Quality and Standards in the Ministry of Education.

For another year, SportMalta is offering the programme Summer On The Move. Through this programme SportMalta encourages a more active and participative society, contributing to the competitive world of sports but more importantly creating a population that enjoys the health benefits associated with sports.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Youths, Sports and Voluntary Organisations, Hon Clifton Grima visited The National Pool Complex where he met with the coaches and participants. He stated, “It is evident that Summer On The Move Programme has been growing as the participation keeps increasing and also as hundreds of coaches choose to work here”. Dr. Grima emphasized on the importance of this programme that promotes a sports culture in our country. The Parliamentary Secretary stressed that “we need to instil the belief in our children that they need to be active to be healthy”.

Summer On the Move is the option for children to be physically active while training their favourite sport. This year the programme has reached the record number of 6000 participants.

These activities are offered at a number of high level, modern sports centres around Malta and Gozo. All venues are operated with the best sports equipment guaranteeing a safe environment for all SportMalta’s clients.

Summer On the Move also includes lessons for adults offered during the same time of the children’s activities, this initiative accommodates parents who bring their children to the programme consequently able to participate as a family and be active at the same time.

The programme offers various activities, from football, basketball and gymnastics to martial arts and karting. It also includes aquatic sports such as swimming, water polo and sailing.

Yoga, pilates and fitness at different intensities, as well as badminton, swimming and self-defence form part if the adult programme.  This year the parent and child programme has been extended and now includes gymnastics and fundamentals apart from the ongoing swimming classes.

Furthermore, SportMalta has endeavoured to engage a cohort of 300 qualified, dedicated and passionate coaches to lead this programme providing a high quality service.

The summer programme also continues to offer training to students within its academies.  In collaboration with the respective organizations, further intensive training is given in the disciplines of triathlon, synchronized swimming, gymnastics, basketball, volleyball and handball. SportMalta subsidizes the academies so that this training is accessible to all alike and nobody encounters obstacles in reaching his/her maximum potential in sports.

Through the programme Summer on the Move, SportMalta assists the Maltese people to meet the targets set by the World Health Organization that recommends a minimum of half an hour daily exercise. Summer On the Move forms part of the European Union campaign  #BeActive whereby member states join in a common effort to move people through physical activity.

This year’s programme is sponsored by Vileda.

On the 26^th June 2017, the European Union Programmes Agency with the support of Agenzija Zghazagh and Sport Malta held a day seminar entitled Democracy, youth and sport under the Transnational Cooperation Activities of the Erasmus+ Programme.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Sports and Voluntary Organisations, Dr Clifton Grima stated that such gatherings enable the sharing of good practices building on a productive cross-sectorial approach and that they also provide an invaluable opportunity for networking and fruitful contacts between countries. Dr Grima also stated that the main priority in the field of sports is that of utilizing sport as a platform for social inclusion through volunteering. Apart from this, he said that the Maltese Presidency also focused on the role of youth work in supporting young people’s development of essential life skills, facilitating their successful transition to adulthood, citizenship and working life, in order to draw up Council conclusions on this basis.

Mark Cutajar, CEO SportMalta, said that this event brought to an end six months of hard work where a new EU Work Plan for Sport 2017-2020 and a council conclusion on Sport as a platform for Social Inclusion through volunteering were adopted.  Cutajar also remarked the number of Fora organised during the months where more than 700 delegates from all over Europe attended.

Miriam Theuma, CEO Agenżija Żgħażagħ, also stressed that this seminar ends this rewarding presidency journey on something practical. An event which brings policy and practice together and engage sport coaches, youth workers and policy makers to work together to enable young people gain a voice, influence the community, and bring about change both at local and European level.

The international seminar welcomed 32 participants from 19 European countries and considered how, through their active participation and engagement in sports, young people can experience the pressures, responsibilities and rewards of working and interacting with each other in group activities that have particular disciplines and aims and how these can help inform and prepare them for democratic and civic engagement in the wider society. A key feature of the seminar was the sharing of good practices whilst enhancing cooperation between the youth and sport sector.

The seminar focused on issues including; leadership, teamwork, planning, goal setting, and group thinking.

Hon. Clifton Grima, Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Sport and Voluntary Organisations visited the Malta Olympic Committee Headquarters and met with the committee officials.

The President of the Malta Olympic Committee, Dr. Julian Pace Bonello congratulated the Parliamentary Secretary for his position and expressed his wish for both parties to work together in a unified effort for the common success of sport in Malta.

On the other hand Hon. Grima praised the recent agreement signed between SportMalta and MOC and claimed that the four year financial assistance granted to MOC now puts it in a better position to support and train athletes in preparation for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Australia and the Small Nations Games to be organised in Malta in 2023.

Whilst mentioning projects such as the upgrading of the National Pool, Hon Grima stated that he is looking forward with enthusiasm for future projects such as the re-surfacing of the Marsa track.