“From administrative struggle to real struggle!” It was a long and difficult journey, as Christophe Lotigier, Director of the Sports Services at the Nice City Hall, recalls around the table. All participants agree. Starting from nothing, or very little, but armed only with their passion and regular practice on the field, the trainers and educators of the combat sports section of Cavigal Nice-Sport can today be proud of their success. With Pierre Panizzoli, Vice-President of the club, and Charles Paccino, an outgoing President who is ensuring the transition until Stéphane Panizzoli, the new generation who will take over, the entire team expressed their satisfaction last Tuesday during the presentation of the annual program. In the coming weeks, no less than ten hours of training will be offered to the schools in different neighborhoods of Nice (St Augustin, St Barthélémy, Ecole Aubert, Nice Flore and Ecole Thérèse Roméo).
Jean-Michel Deya, a new State-certified Judo instructor (and by equivalency, of Wrestling) is confident he can initially gather a good dozen students per establishment. A former student of the Faculty of Sports in Nice, he went to Grenoble to complete his Judo diplomas. “The goal,” he explains with conviction, “is to introduce Wrestling, a sport less popular than Football or Judo but one that enables young people to maintain a good healthy lifestyle.” Aware of the dangers of smoking or alcohol consumption among teenagers, this young coach acknowledges that “competition has helped him on several occasions in his life, particularly during exams.” He also sees himself in a role of educator: in dealing with younger ones who, in difficult neighborhoods, “have issues with discipline,” this practice of wrestling “teaches them to respect others and adopt a set of civic rules and social etiquette.” Under the administrative responsibility of Frederic Le Calvez, a wrestler himself, when not later hosting his sports friends at the “Stadium” bar, the combat sports section, which also includes Taekwondo (see Nice-Premiere of September 26, 2006), has significantly developed since the initial support provided by the Nice City Hall. It now benefits from regular support from public entities (Nice City Hall, Regional Council, General Council) and has gained recognition from the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Furthermore, it has strengthened through financial partnerships with private companies in the PACA region. Encouraging results to the point of multiplying agreements with neighborhood associations like those led by Fawzi Lachelak, Educator and President of the Association PAJE (Pasteur Avenir Jeunesses) and CEDJAM (Comité Enfance et Jeunesse des Alpes-Maritimes). The first aims to establish a cultural and sports base to “prevent idleness among young people in the Pasteur neighborhood,” the second is intended to manage vacation centers in the High Country region. Fawzi is not just an educator: he has become, as Frederic Le Calvez points out, an “entry key” to the neighborhood, a key essential if one wants “to succeed in a sustainable and effective establishment.” The dynamism of the combat sports section of Cavigal is also making some happy. Or rather, some women happy. An administrative secretary has been hired. She complements the assistance provided by Nathalie Audin from the APPASCAM Association, whose free legal and fiscal advice unburdens the leaders of more thankless tasks. A little-known association, but one whose five collaborators have been assisting more than 160 member associations since 1999.
In the meantime, the solid training of these young graduates and their commitment to opening up sports to the city, without prohibiting, quite the opposite, parallel paths to competition, allow them to count on an increase in the number of licensees. This will go hand in hand with an increase in the number of hours given per school. The two future sports complexes in Les Moulins and Bon Voyage are moving in this direction. A fine example of local success… when all actors work together and in the same direction.
