It was a year that demanded courage, innovation and heart and Sporting Chance answered with expanded reach, inclusive programmes and a renewed commitment to legacy.
Western Cape, South Africa (26 December 2025) – When you place a ball, a bat or a pair of running shoes into a child’s hands, you are not just giving them equipment, you are giving them a doorway. In 2025, Sporting Chance flung those doorways wide open, reaching more children, more coaches and more communities than ever before.
It was a year defined by national reach, meaningful partnerships, inclusive innovation and an unshakeable commitment to youth development that carried the organisation into a new chapter.
In May, the passing of Sporting Chance founder Brad Bing marked a moment of deep reflection. His contributions to South African sport development are woven into thousands of stories, stories of children discovering confidence, of coaches discovering purpose and of communities discovering hope. Rather than dimming, that legacy ignited a renewed sense of direction. Sporting Chance responded by launching the Brad Bing Legacy Programme and revealing plans for the Brad Bing Legacy Centre in Langa, the birthplace of their first coaching clinics. The new centre will stand as a multi-purpose sports and education hub, complete with indoor cricket nets, a multi-sport court, hockey facilities and dedicated academic and mentorship spaces. It will be a living tribute to the vision Brad spent decades building.
“Brad changed the game for so many young people,” says Sporting Chance General Manager Natalie Pollock. “This year reminded us of the immeasurable impact of his mission: to give every child, no matter their background, the chance to participate in sport. Our work in 2025 carried that vision forward, and the Brad Bing Legacy Centre will ensure it lives on for decades to come.”
Hundreds of young players gathered on the 4th of December for the 34th annual Calypso Cricket Festival on Sunrise Beach, Muizenberg… children from Langa, Khayelitsha, Mitchell’s Plain, Gugulethu and Ocean View sprinting across the sand, bats swinging, balls flying, laughter echoing. The festival continues to be a highlight on the Sporting Chance calendar and a significant reminder of where it all began.
The day also paid tribute to Brad Bing’s roots, honouring his early vision and spotlighting the continued rise of girls’ participation in cricket, mirroring the surge of women’s cricket in South Africa.
“Calypso Cricket was where Brad started it all,” says Pollock. “Seeing hundreds of children on the beach, competing, learning and simply enjoying the spirit of sport, that’s the heart of Sporting Chance.”
November saw a milestone at Newlands Cricket Stadium with the sixth Lord’s Taverners SA Table Cricket Festival, funded by the Spirit Foundation and operated by Sporting Chance. More than 100 young players aged nine to 16, from Astra, St. Joseph’s Marist, St. Joseph’s Montana, Eros, Vista Nova, Jan Kriel, Tembaletu and Filia schools, took to modified cricket tables to play, learn and compete.
This year, the first-ever South African Table Cricket Champions League was introduced, inspired by the UK system. Tembaletu School earned the inaugural championship title, while Astra School claimed the runners-up spot, a moment that left players, teachers and families beaming with pride.
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Table Cricket is more than a sport. As an adapted form of cricket that fits on a table tennis table, it nurtures hand-eye coordination, numeracy, social integration and confidence. It offers a space for children with disabilities to showcase ability, identity and joy.
“The benefits already speak for themselves,” shares Pollock. “Beyond physical activity, Table Cricket fosters cognitive growth, communication skills and team spirit. The joy and confidence seen in players, and the pride expressed by educators, show the profound impact of this initiative. This year’s festival was more than a competition, it was a celebration of possibility and progress.”
With plans to expand inclusive pathways nationwide, Sporting Chance, the Spirit Foundation and Lord’s Taverners South Africa are building momentum for a model that could reshape disability sport accessibility in the country.
Among the year’s celebrations was a major milestone, 10 years of The Walt Disney Company Africa’s Healthy Happy Play programme, delivered with Sporting Chance. Since 2016, the initiative has reached more than 230,000 Grade 3 learners across five provinces, giving teachers tools to integrate physical literacy and nutrition into the classroom through imaginative, Disney-inspired content.
“The Disney Healthy Happy Play programme is a shining example of how creative content, strong partnerships and sustained support can transform physical education in under-resourced schools,” says Pollock. “We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved together over the past decade.”
Across 2025, Sporting Chance empowered thousands of children and coaches through festivals, inclusive sporting platforms, mass participation programmes and school-based interventions. Each event, each programme and each training session deepened the organisation’s impact and reaffirmed its mission.
“This year challenged us, inspired us and strengthened our resolve,” reflects Pollock. “Every programme, every event and every child we reach brings us closer to Brad’s mission: to use sport to open doors, teach life skills and build more resilient communities.”
As Sporting Chance turns toward 2026, its goals are focused and ambitious:
• Expand access to sport for children in every corner of South Africa
• Grow inclusive sports models that serve children and adults with disabilities
• Build and open the Brad Bing Legacy Centre in Langa
• Strengthen sport’s role as a vehicle for education, confidence and resilience
Because when a child runs, kicks, swings, jumps or simply takes part, something changes… not just in their muscles but in their mindset. Their world grows. Their choices widen. Their future sharpens into focus.
2025 proved that the right support, the right partnerships and the right intention can shape life trajectories. And for Sporting Chance, that work is far from finished.
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Thank you for this very clear and timely article
Excellent read! I’ve been exploring similar ideas at Institute of Physical and Sport Sciences and your perspective adds great value.