CoolPlay has long been a pioneer in using sport as a vehicle for Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and as a foundation for long-term well-being and success. With a bold new expansion into mental well-being, the organisation is taking its mission to the next level, helping over 2,500 children further thrive on and off the field across 22 schools in 6 communities in the Western Cape.
Why Mental Well-being?
Why Now?
Over the past decade, CoolPlay has built a reputation for nurturing character, resilience, and teamwork through its coaching cards and dedicated community of Champions. As challenges facing youth continue to grow, there is an urgent need to respond with intentional emotional and mental health support. It is estimated that 1 in 3 adolescents in South Africa experience anxiety or emotional distress, and 90% of children don’t get the help they need to overcome mental health challenges.
“The Trustees recognised that for our learners to truly succeed in life, they need emotional literacy, they need to manage anything from daily stress to severe trauma, and they need the resilience to bounce back when adversity strikes,” says Moshibudi Piet, CoolPlay’s Executive Director.
Introducing CoolMindz
The CoolMindz expansion includes the development of three new coaching cards:
- Understanding Emotions
- Managing Stress & Handling Pressure
- Building Resilience
Each card offers practical games, reflection exercises, and strategies to help learners identify, manage, and express emotions in healthy ways, on and off the field.
“The goal is to normalize emotional experiences and make sure that every child who walks into a CoolPlay session knows that their emotional state matters,” explains Lucie Martin, the strategic consultant guiding this transition. “By integrating mental well-being explicitly into every CoolPlay session, we’re improving emotional literacy and enhancing the relationship of trust with each learner.”
This extension into mental well-being also incorporates best practices from the Waves for Change Take5 programme, including a well-being check-in and dedicated time for a centring breathing exercise before undertaking the physical activity itself.
Champions: Still the Heart of the Programme
This evolution also includes expanded training for CoolPlay’s Champions. A training session on becoming Trauma Aware was facilitated by Judy Strickland, the inspirational founder of Hope House Counselling.
“Our Champions are our frontline mentors,” says Trustee Barry O’Mahony. “They’re more than coaches; they’re trusted role models and often the most consistent adult in a young person’s life. Giving them the tools to understand and model emotional intelligence is the most powerful thing we can do.”
The Champions will receive ongoing monthly supervision and support as they implement the new coaching cards, ensuring quality and consistency across all sites.
Looking Ahead
CoolPlay’s focus on mental well-being is not a one-off initiative, it is a long-term strategic priority. With new monitoring and evaluation tools in development and partnerships forming with mental health experts, the organisation is committed to measuring and deepening its impact.
“We’re not just helping children play better, we’re helping them live better, with the benefits then spreading from the field to school, home and community,” adds Moshibudi. “Sport remains our core vehicle, and well-being is now part of our mission.”
Get Involved
With the 2025 season in full swing, CoolPlay invites donors, partners, educators, and community members to support this transformative journey.
- Sponsor a child: R1,200 funds a full year of CoolPlay sessions
- Sponsor a team/squad: R2,500 per month funds their CoolPlay sessions
- Equip a Champion: R6,000 provides training, materials and ground support for one Champion for a full year
- Volunteer your expertise: Mental health professionals can offer supervision or training
Because when children have safe spaces where they feel seen and supported, they thrive and build stronger futures, on and off the field.