Chair’s Letter

It is with immense pride and gratitude that I share this year’s Chairman’s Letter, reflecting on a period of deepened purpose and intentional transformation at CoolPlay.

2024 has marked a pivotal chapter in our evolution—one where our core commitment to Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is in the process to more fully embrace the importance of mental health. We have been working hard in the background to include these elements into our program. In a world where emotional resilience and psychological well-being are increasingly essential for young people, CoolPlay has continued to show up on sport fields. Leaving a mark in classrooms, and in communities—with care, consistency, and compassion.

Our Champions remain at the heart of this work – they are our engine for program delivery. As mentors and community leaders, we hope to embrace additional training in mental fitness, resilience-building, and trauma-informed engagement to better equip our Champions as we expand our strategic objectives.

This year, we reached a record of 2054 engaged learners across 5605 sessions. Our footprint, recognitions, and meaningful partnerships—from Allan Gray to Laureus Sport for Good to Periods for Hope and Under Armour—are evidence of the strength of our model and the integrity of our team.

I would like to express our sincere gratitude to outgoing CEO Tori Gardner for her extraordinary leadership. Her impact has been foundational, and her dedication will continue to resonate throughout the organization and team she’s left behind. As we turn the page, it is with great excitement that we welcome Moshibudi Piet as the new Executive Director of CoolPlay. Moshibudi brings a wealth of experience, strategic clarity, and a deep passion for youth development. We are confident that her leadership will steer CoolPlay as we renew our strategic focus to include elements of mental health into our program for the coming year.

To our Trustees, Advisory Board, Champions, partners, and funders—thank you for your unwavering belief in the CoolPlay Way. Your support empowers us to keep creating spaces where young people can grow emotionally, socially, and mentally strong.

As we look ahead, our mission remains clear: to nurture capable, confident young leaders through the power of sport and connection. One child. One Champion. One game at a time.

– Saleem Sonday