Kevin Carroll Katalyst

From Time.Com:

“Sport has the power to change the world, the power to inspire, the power to unite people in a way that little else can. Sport can create hope ... It is an instrument for peace.”

Nelson Mandela

“...A new global initiative whose board I will chair will draw together the most inspirational people, projects and organizations in sport. Beyond Sport will celebrate their achievements, identify why they succeed, and use them to inspire others. The Beyond Sport Awards will recognize and reward those individuals, projects and organizations that have created positive social change through sport. Our message will be championed by our ambassadors — from sporting heroes like Lucas Radebe, South Africa’s most capped footballer and Lord Sebastian Coe, London 2012 chairman, to media visionaries such as American Idol creator Simon Fuller. Through the UNICEF Child Rights Award, Beyond Sport will recognize the vital role that sport can play in helping to fulfill children’s rights, as laid out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

We all have much to learn from the great programs and projects running all over the world. Now is the time to make heroes of individuals and organizations that use sport to really make a difference. Now is the time for sport to show how much it can achieve beyond sport.”

Tony Blair
Britain’s Prime Minister from 1997-2007

Play is the great universal!  Sport for fun, exercise and competition is great; adding a social or political objective to the mix: helping to feed (Free Rice) or to inspire (Homeless World Cup) is, to quote the great Duke Ellington, “beyond category.”  The more that sport incorporates a social conscience, the greater potential for positive change globally.  Whatever your sport or game is, no matter how insignificant you fear it might be, it can, with a little creativity help another suffering human being.  I know this because it happened to me.

PS. If you’re in or near our nation’s capitol this weekend, please go down to 11th and H Streets NW to watch the Homeless USA Cup and cheer on teams from across the country attempting to represent the US at the Homeless World Cup in Melbourne, Australia. 

What’s your Red Rubber Ball?!