Rushia’s South Africa Blog

Rushia’s South Africa Photos Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5

                                              Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10

Monday, October 6, 2008

 

TODAY’S THE DAY!! We have a 3 o’clock flight so we’ll tie up some loose ends before we go-a little shopping and of course our FINAL MEAL. We’ll be on a plane for 20 hours and I have all the movies and music a person can have for a trip. I’ll finish my book Don’t Die In the Winter by Dr. Millicent Hunter and hopefully, when I wake up, I’ll be touching down at Atlanta Hartsfield. See ya around and thanks for following my trip.

 

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Well, today is as pure tourist day. We went on a tour of the peninsula, Table Mountain and finished with a fine dinner at the Cape Town Fish Market. We were all excited and when we made it to our 1st destination, we were amazed. We rode along the edge of the peninsula and saw the Atlantic Ocean. We stopped and took pics of the whales, the panoramic views, the beachfront property and the little towns that lead to them.
 
On our way up to Table Mountain, we passed through a reservation of live game. There weren’t that many animals out this time of year but we did see some wild antelope. We traveled the winding road that took us up to the top, well almost to the top. We had to walk the rest of the way. The view was INCREDIBLE!! We saw the point where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. What a wonder. There is a noted difference in the color, current, and texture of the water. It was truly a wonder-and a work out. I can’t get you the specifics on the height but my legs were burning so surely that counts for something. When we reached the bottom of the walking trail, we had a brief lunch before we headed back down to Cape Town. I had seen sights that were MAJESTIC and awe-inspiring. All I could say is WOW!! I am so tired as we come back to the hotel but now we have to get ready for dinner.
 
We don’t stop to rest, just a quick turnaround for dinner. We head to the Cape Town Fish Market and I continue my assault on local seafood. I have eaten more fish in this 12-day trip than I have in my life. I’m allergic to shell-fish and I usually shy away from all fish because of fear of cross contamination. Wouldn’t want to be walking around looking like Will Smith in the movie HITCH—even though I have had a few of those episodes. But this was a trip of firsts. I felt growth in my views, opinions and an enhancement of my spirit. I am truly grateful for the opportunity given me by Octagon Marketing Company, Engen Petroleum Company and Ms. Joyce Jenkins of Future Inc for allowing me to be a part of such a wonderful experience. I’m already trying to figure out when I’ll be able to make it back-next Christmas is the goal…

Saturday, October 4, 2008

The last work day. I got started with a great breakfast, now I’m ready to face the world. We arrive at the gym in a small village outside of Cape Town around 9am and the kids are all running around with excitement. This time our age group is 9-17.  We started them off with a little entertainment. They had some dancers perform for the kids. It’s amazing how the HIP HOP culture is visible everywhere you go. I was expecting to hear/see some traditional African entertainment. But it was the same ole WEEZY, Rhianna, Jay-Z and Kanye West. Guess music transcends race, ethnicity and country.
 
We ran the clinic and the kids had a ball. They learned a lot and were very enthusiastic in doing so. With this being the last day, we had tons of give-aways. We asked questions and rewarded the youth for being attentive during the session. It really was an incredible experience. I hated leaving the kids but we made sure to end our trip with a blast.
 
We headed back to the hotel to meet with the 2 Kims (Kim Mattei & Kim Sanders) for our evening out. We were supposed to go to Table Mountain and Dobben’s Island (where
Mandela served his prison time) but the wind was too strong. The trip to Dobben’s Island was to be via ferry so I was ok with not chancing it-you know I can’t swim. We ended up hanging out until we met the VP of Octagon Marketing Company for dinner. We went to a restaurant overlooking the Atlantic Ocean named the TWELVE APOSTLES. We had yet another great meal and the SAND MAN was coming. My body was shutting down and I couldn’t wait to get back to the hotel. But of course I got back to the hotel and got on the computer. So, it was about 1am before I layed it down.

 

Friday, October 3, 2008

 

Well, day 3 of the clinic and we are off to Cape Town. I wake up refreshed because I went to sleep at a sensible hour last night. I got up this morning to do some more work and get packed because we are leaving straight from the gym for the airport. I had a great breakfast and I am ready to get to the gym.
 
This morning Coach Carl Mattei and I will be conducting the sessions on screens,  different types of defense and rebounding. We are met by the sounds of basketballs bouncing and coaches playing 1-on-1 and 5-on-5. We even see players and coaches practicing the shooting drills that Teach gave them yesterday. It’s great to see that they are getting it. We start off with a little stretching because I hear a few of the coaches complaining about being sore. They had no idea the coaches clinic would be interactive. Most coaches” clinics are note taking but they’ve worked out just as much as the kids. We get them stretched out and warm because if they are sore after doing shooting drills, what’s going to happen when the do defensive slides.
 
We get into the session and its incredible how many different facets of defense there are. I guess we take for granted that all the things we know when we are around basketball for 20+ years are not common knowledge. We literally had to brake down the drills to the coaches to the most minimal level. As we walked them through everything, we could see they were getting it. They asked questions and we were happy to answer. Man, Zone Offense, Zone Defense, 2-3, 3-2, 1-3-1, we couldn’t’ even get into all the things we wanted to for the time restraints. But we know the coaches got a great deal of information in this 3-day period.
 
We finished with prizes and an awards banquet where the participants received certificates and goody bags. To sit and talk to the youth and coaches afterwards really made me feel appreciated. They were excited about the information they received and are already planning for the future of South African basketball. MISSION ACCOMPLISED!!
 
We left for the airport and made it just in time for the flight. We landed and I was starving. We had 9:00 reservations at a traditional restaurant named MAMA AFRICA. Can I say it was 9:30 before we even left the hotel, but so be it. We got there and had a great meal. A few on the staff tried the wild game-ANTELOPE, CROCODILE, DEER, and a few other things freshly caught according to the menu. There was live entertainment and we had a ball. Can’t wait to get in my bed. So with that-GOOD NIGHT!

 

Thursday, October 2, 2008

 

OK! Staying up until 2 am chatting with friends online has made me tired. After 2 nights of catching up with people in the USA, the 6 hour time difference has caught up to me. I was supposed to be downstairs at 8:30am. But I overslept. My body is officially TIRED!! But I did finally make it down to breakfast before we left for today’s training. A yogurt, some toast and juice and we were off.
 
We arrive today and the gym is already filled with the coaches shooting and playing. Its good to come in to the gym and everybody is ready and waiting for more knowledge. Today “Teach”, Marvin Harvey does his session. Teach is an official shot doctor. He has various facilities, the newest of which is in Tampa, Fl. He works with NBA and WNBA stars such as Raja Bell, Chuckie Atkins, Tameka Catchings and Marie Ferdinand just to name a few. Needless to say he comes highly recommended. I learned today why they call him  ‘”TEACH’. His method of getting through to the coaches was very thorough. Coaches spent time in a classroom setting going over theory BEFORE stepping onto the court to learn the technique. Teach was very good at giving them KNOWLEDGE as well as SKILL.
 
Today’s session was on the proper way to shoot, with emphasis on balance, hand positioning, use of the knees and arc. With well over 50 coaches and 10 youth, there were plenty of balls and plenty of shooting. It was amazing to see the AHAH moment for the coaches when they actually grasped the concept Teach was trying to get across to them. I even had a few of those moments that will help me teach the players that I work with in my travels. It was a long day but the coaches got a lot out of it.
 
We returned to the hotel and I’m exhausted but we still had to eat dinner. I got showered and waited to see what the plan would be for the evening. We decided not to eat at the hotel again. We went to a local pub to have dinner. Once again we had a pretty good meal, great conversation and plenty of laughs. This really has been a great group to travel with. Everyone is from different parts of the world, with different backgrounds but there is one common thread that ties us all together-BASKETBALL!!
 
As we finished dinner, I was literally falling asleep at the table. We take our ride back down the hill and by the time I get back to the room, I hear my bed calling me. I take 30 minutes to check emails and take care of some business online. I could barely walk back to my room. A nice sound night of sleep is what I need. NIGHT!!

 

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

 

Well, playtime is over. It’s time to get to work. We arrive and coaches are already there. Coach Mattei went over all types of offensive transition drills, we had a life skills session with the coaches and after lunch I conducted the session on POST PLAY. After the morning session, we questioned if the coaches understood what we were trying to teach them. We came to the conclusion that they probably weren’t. So, instead of using the players to demonstrate the moves and drills, we started to use the coaches. We wanted them to get the feel for what needed to be done so they could have a better idea of how to explain it to the kids. That was a totally new experience for me, and them as well. The day over all went well but I think they got a lot of information in a short period of time. I hope they weren’t overwhelmed. I know spending all day in the gym wore me out. They had tricked me into thinking this was a vacation trip. Reality set in. I got back, showered up, had dinner, am writing this blog and on my way to bed. We have another long day tomorrow when the shooting session takes place with Coach Marvin Harvey. He’s really good so this should be interesting. So, good night-til tomorrow.

 

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

 

RISE N SHINE! Another early morning! I got up and ran on the beach and  hurried back for my 8:15 radio interview. We’ve got more touring scheduled for today before we leave to go to Pietermaritsburg. So, after a shower and breakfast, we loaded up the van and headed to Ushaka Marine World. It was a SEA WORLD of South Africa. They had shopping, restaurants, an aquarium, dolphin show, all the animals you’d want to see. And guess what your girl did…

 

I must have had a temporary lapse of sanity because I allowed myself to be put into a cage and lowered into the shark tank—with LIVE SHARK!! For those of you who don’t know me, I CAN’T SWIM!! So don’t ask what I was thinking. Well, I can tell you what I was thinking: they would put an oxygen tank on my back, goggles over my eyes, a cage with a CLOSED top over my head and let me just sit and watch the shark and fish swim around me. That’s not quite how it went!! First, there was no oxygen tank(yall know I can’t swim and I don’t like water in my eyes and that water was about to mess up my HAIR!!!). Second, it was an open top. I needed something glass for security-but NOT SO MUCH!! I guess I should be happy I got goggles, huh? Did I mention that the tank they lowered me into was the actual shark tanks people were viewing INSIDE the aquarium? I could have been on somebody’s video tape on ANIMALS GONE WILD! I must admit when I found out the plan was a little different from what I had envisioned, I had my reservations. But I talked one of the instructors into getting in the tank with me to make me feel secure . Actually, he was smaller than me and I was plotting to use him as bait if anything went wrong-LOL!! Just kidding! Well, all went well. I got down there and saw all the other coaches staring and pointing in amazement that I was crazy enough to do it. When I got out, my friend Kim just laughed as did everyone else. I amaze even myself!!!

 

We then went to the restaurant to have dinner before we got on the road for Pietermaritsburg. I had to take a minute and give my sacrificial lamb (the instructor from the shark tank) 2 t-shirts. He was impressed with his Atlanta Dream and OverTime Basketball Academy memorabilia. We got a hearty meal and got on the road to the next city.

 

We arrived in Pietermaritsburg, and went straight to the gym for check-in. We are doing a 3-day coaches clinic for some local coaches. They were there awaiting us anxiously. We had the introductions and opening ceremony and headed back to our hotel by 7pm to prepare for tomorrow. All that SHARK TAMING made me tired! 

 

Monday, September 29, 2008

 

Well, last night we traveled from Johannesburg to Durban. We have more touring and a bball clinic for the 100 youth. We got up this morning and walked along the beach. Yeah, they have us at a beautiful beachfront hotel. My room overlooks the ocean and though it’s a little cool here, the weather is really nice.

 

We had our morning meeting over breakfast before leaving for the facility at the University of Kwazulu-Natal. We have camp set up for the kids at a sports festival. The companies that brought us over have really put on a great event for the youth. When we arrive, I am instantly HUMBLED! I see kids running around playing, at least 5% WITHOUT shoes. I didn’t say without NEW shoes, or without BASKETBALL shoes, but WITHOUT ANY SHOES PERIOD!! And despite that, they were there to learn. They had smiles on their faces and a glimmer in their eyes as the American coaches entered the gym. I can’t express the level of politeness and eagerness they showed-unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

 

Joyce brought the kids together to make the introductions so we could get started. After a short bio on each of the coaches we gave them a run down of what the day was to consist of: 4 STATIONS including Ball handling, Shooting, Passing, Defense and Life Skills. I go the kids warmed up with some stretches and we went into the training. It was eye opening. The basketball knowledge was not very high but their willingness to learn was unbelievable.

 

We finished the camp with a 3-on-3 game between the top girls and boys. They gave us a surprise by having a group perform for us. The group did traditional African dance and some Hip Hop moves as well. It was very entertaining. The kids had waaaaaay too much energy for me-LOL!

 

The evening ended up being kinda long so we had dinner and turned it in for the night.

 

 

Sunday, September 28, 2008

 

OK-much better! I’ve rested and I’m ready to take on the world. Today we toured Johannesburg and Soweto. We took actual tours of the shanty towns, saw hospitals, chatted with local youth, visited Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s, Nelson and Winnie Mandela’s homes, and a museum dedicated to Hector Pieterson. My most educating experience of the day was learning the story of Hector Pieterson, a 13 year old boy killed in protests regarding education in S. Africa.

 

The day of tourism took us to various levels of emotion. We saw saddening levels of poverty in the shanty towns. But the humility and hospitality of the people was humbling. As we toured their town, youth followed us through the streets and asked us questions about our families, our native land and our profession. We ended our tour by sharing fruit and bread with the youth.

 

We also received lessons in history. The story of Hector Pieterson was very touching because it told of S. African youth participating in a peaceful protest to help achieve equal opportunity for education. The pictures and documentation made me appreciate all opportunities we have in the USA and the struggles of those that came before us.

 

In touring this afternoon, we traveled along the only street in the WORLD that is home to 2 Nobel Peace Prizes: Nelson Mandela & Archbishop Desmond Tutu. We were unable to see the actual home of Mandela because the roof was being replaced. We also saw the home of Tutu. These two world changers live less than a mile away from one another.

 

We also had the chance to visit the Regina Mundi Church where we was the Black Madonna and son. This church is a place of worship as well as a place where political meetings are held. Youth meetings were broken up here and there were actual gun shot holes left in the ceiling from the times that the police forced these peaceful meetings to be disbursed.

 

We finished our evening at the MonteCasino for dinner. Tomorrow we will travel to Durban. As for now, I’m about to lay it down. Talk to you tomorrow.

 

Saturday, September 27, 2008

 

Hello all,

Yeah, I’ve done it again. I left the country to see how the ball bounces in other parts of the world. This time my journey has taken me to the MOTHER LAND—AFRICA; more specifically S. Africa. I feel so privileged to have the chance to go to all these different countries. On our tour we will be visiting Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town. We will be administering basketball clinics for native youth in these cities and taking a little time to tour as well.

 

This time my tour is with a group of coaches from all over the USA. The head coordinator and coach is Ms. Joyce Jenkins from Future Inc, in Baltimore, Maryland. We are joined by Coach Marvin Harvey of Tampa, FL and Coach Carl Mattei from Regis Jesuit High School in Aurora, Colorado and the Mile HI Magic girls basketball club. This should be a great 2 weeks.

 

Our trip over from Atlanta to Johannesburg via Dakkar was all of 19 hours.

Yes, and I am oh so sleepy so I’ll have to continue this tomorrow after I rest and eat.