Event: The SBA organises the first inter-school rugby tournament in Bangangté

Instigated by our Bangangté rugby coaches: Jacques Torresse, Idriss Tcheumkeu Ketcha and Loïc Benos Zeutsop Kenfack, the Serge Betsen Academy (SBA) is organising an inter-school rugby tournament on April 26 at the Collège Saint Jean Baptiste Stadium in Bangangté.

About 216 young competitors aged 6 to 14 will be playing to defend the colours of their own schools in a sporty and friendly atmosphere. This will be a great first for the young people and a great opportunity to celebrate the 19th anniversary of the association.

18 teams of girls and boys will participate in the Tournament. This will include 8 teams of 12 secondary school players (10 to 14 years old) and 10 teams of 12 primary school players (6 to 12 years old). Secondary school students will be accompanied by 4 supervisors and primary school students by 5 supervisors. Intensive training and non-mixted rugby matches are on the agenda. This tournament will be an occasion for the young people who are benefiting from rugby initiations, organised by our rugby coaches in Ndé schools, since 2019, to come together around the values of rugby, and to show what they can achieve. And this will allow our coaches to measure the progress of our young people.

We wish the coaches of Bangangté all the best for the onsite preparations and warmly thank our Sponsors, Société Générale Cameroun and ARNO Association, as well as our partners, the Town Hall of Bangangté, Mr. Eric Niat and the Black Platinum Agency for their support.

Do you want to come and support our young people? Then see you all at the Collège Saint Jean Baptiste stadium at 9 a.m., on April 26. The young competitors will be there from 7:30 a.m. and will be eagerly looking forward to seeing you all and to entertain you with their rugby skills.

Do enjoy the Games !

 

Translation : Katy Birgé-Wilson

Partnership: Serge Betsen travels to La Baule (France) to meet the young people from the Cité Scolaire Grand Air

On Friday January 20, 2023, Serge Betsen travelled to La Baule to meet the pupils in Year 7 and 8 (US equivalent: 6thand 7thgrade) who are preparing for their 23 May cross-country charity race in support of the Serge Betsen Academy. Serge Betsen was invited by the Cité scolaire Grand Air of la Baule as part of their recent partnership and he had the pleasure of meeting the students and introducing the association, its missions and its actions to them, and of course he thanked them for their invaluable support.

The students listened to Serge Betsen with great interest and are now excited about the idea of running for the association. It was a great moment of exchanges, and the collaboration was launched! Children from the association were able to encourage the students for their races through a video made in Cameroon, and also to thank them.

 

 

Serge Betsen and Mr. Philippe Paul, head-teacher of the Cité Scolaire Grand Air of la Baule, then signed the agreement between the Serge Betsen Academy and the school, which decided to support us following the initiative of Olivier Le Corre, teacher of History-Geography & Civic Education who had met Serge a few years prior. An interview with Serge Betsen carried out by the Y10 (US Grade 9) followed, as then there was a conversation with Jean-Yves Le Jeune, journalist from Ouest France present for the occasion. At the end of this afternoon rich in encounters at Grand Air, Serge Betsen and a delegation from the school met with Mr. Franck Louvrier, Mayor of the City of La Baule-Escoublac. It was an opportunity to talk in detail about this collaboration and the actions of the association!

 

We would like to warmly thank the Cité scolaire Grand Air this great partnership as well as the students involved in this project. Serge Betsen, Our President was very touched by their warm welcome, as well as the commitment of Olivier Le Corre in organising this visit.

A huge thank you to Mr. Philippe Paul, head-teacher of the Cité Scolaire Grand Air of La Baule, Mrs. Perrai and Mr. Delacroix, deputy head-teachers of the college, Olivier Le Corre, History-Geography & Civic Education teacher who is leading the project, Pauline Basulto, Education Assistant, Fanny Morisson and Anne-Sophie Perraudin, History-Geography & Civic Education Teachers, Martine Chateau, Jean-Pierre Angelvy, Stéphane Aoustin, Physical Education and Sports Teachers, Frédéric Merlet and the Ulis section, and the entire teaching team involved in the organisation of this solidarity race.

Many thanks also to Mr. Franck Louvrier, Mayor of the City of La Baule-Escoublac and Vice-President of the Pays-de-Loire Region, Mr. Mathieu, Deputy Mayor in charge of sports affairs and associations, Mrs. Challier, municipal councillor and the elected representatives of the Municipal Youth Council for which she is responsible, who support this project.
Last but not least, thank you to the parents of Olivier Morato, Treasurer of the Serge Betsen Academy in the United Kingdom, for having made the trip to attend this special meeting between Serge Betsen and the students of Grand Air.
Philippe Grivaux kindly made a video of the encounter between Serge Betsen and the students and we are happy to share it with you:

Bring on the 23 of May!! And until then, good luck to all the young people in their quest for sponsorships!

 

 

Please read this beautiful article written by Jean-Yves Le Jeune, following the 20 January meeting.

 

Translation : Katy Birgé-Wilson