In Ariane, on Tuesday, July 2nd, several children aged 4 to 14 participated in sports activities with the Sports Caravan. A large free event, it introduces baseball, badminton, among others, while promoting respect for opponents.
Discovering new sports and acquiring good sports habits with the help of professionals was possible in Ariane. Schoolchildren and children accompanied by their parents enjoyed various sports. The free event is organized by the Departmental Olympic and Sports Committee of the Alpes-Maritimes (CDOS 06).
For Denis Manassero, in charge of the Sports Caravan, this day is an opportunity for children to discover alternatives to sports already known to the public: “The goal is to introduce them to curling, disc golf, which is rather practiced in the North of France“.
500 children registered, Denis hopes for “800 by the end of the day“ . It’s a real experience in the sports world. Highlighted with the Rugby World Cup held in Nice in 2023 and the Olympic Games in Paris starting at the end of the month: “Why not spark some passions!“.
The Sports Caravan: Values of Life
If the Parc Jacques Lécuyer site in Ariane is filled with activities, the values of sport are not put aside! “We learn the values of life there“, explains Denis.
In this sense, a goose game called “Red Card” is led by Romain Vaillant, from the departmental Olympic committee, and by Gevord Hakobyan, from the Badminton 06 committee. The teams compete around questions about the Olympic Games, fair play, and the history of a sport.
“It’s about giving a red card to violence. Education is important, as sport is much more than just physical exertion“, explains Romain. More specifically, Gevord demonstrates: “For example, solidarity is the foundation of a team sport“.
The Sports Caravan is also a day with activities focused on values like respect, friendship, and excellence, the same as for Olympism.
But safety and first aid gestures also have their place with education on AMD (Alert, Massage, Defibrillate) by firefighters from the Nice Company, like Tom.
He explains the importance of this approach today: “Cardiac arrest can occur during physical exertion, but not only. This training exists in schools, and we are here to supplement it. The earlier we learn the actions to take, the better”. They also teach the facilitated learning of the 112 emergency number “The memory technique of the face. We have one mouth, one nose, two eyes”.
