Organized at the Allianz Riviera by the association Premiers de Cordée, the Escape Day brought together nearly 1,000 children from medical-educational institutes and hospital facilities. On the program: discovery of numerous sports and moments of sharing for young people who are ill and/or in situations of disability.
Around the Allianz Riviera, laughter echoes. Caps on their heads, sneakers on their feet, groups of children move from one stand to another. Golf, judo, squash, racquetball… for many, these disciplines are a first.
Discovering sport differently
For this seventh edition in Nice of the Escape Day, the association Premiers de Cordée thought big. In total, 25 sports activities are offered to children throughout the day. President of the association, Nathalie Péchalat is delighted with the scale of the event: “We welcome children from medical-educational institutes and hospital facilities. They come to discover lots of sports, escape their daily routine and create connections with other young people. We always adapt the rules and equipment so that everyone can participate.” This year, the symbolic milestone of 1,000 participants was reached, a first for the event.
For the organizers, these sports introductions can sometimes spark a turning point. “There are many children who discover disciplines they didn’t know. And when they leave their hospital facility, some want to continue practicing. They realize that, even with a disability, doing sports is still possible,” emphasizes Nathalie Péchalat.
A volunteer with the Premiers de Cordée association, Virginie Moncorgé also stresses the importance of these days: “The Escape Day is a moment where children can forget their medical routine. We allow them to live a day like any other, centered around sports and sharing. The goal is really for them to have fun and to leave with positive memories.“
A moment of sharing
For the specialized educators present on site, the day far exceeds a simple sports activity. Nicolas Pillon is an educator at the Lenval Foundation. Wearing an OGC Nice jersey, he accompanies several young people during the event. According to him, these moments above all allow for creating connections: “These are children who sometimes have complicated life trajectories because of their condition. The idea is to give them new experiences and to promote living together. Through sports, they can meet other children and work on socialization.“
The feedback is often very positive. “Many go home delighted. For us, that’s already huge,” he adds. Around the fields, nearly a hundred volunteers and sports educators supervise the workshops to allow children to practice safely.
Sports vocations… and lots of smiles
Among the disciplines offered, some are little known to young participants. This is the case with American football, presented by players from the Nice Dolphins. Present at the introductory stand, player Malcolm Niche sees dozens of children curious to discover this sport file past: “Most didn’t know American football at all. For me, the pleasure is sharing my passion and seeing that they’re having a good time.“
For the young participants, the day is above all synonymous with fun. Thomas, 17 years old, discovers several disciplines for the first time: “We played golf, and now we’re going to play football. The goal is mostly to have fun with the others,” he says shyly.
