OUTDOOR SPORTS GIVE EVERYONE AIR
Young people live in difficult times. COVID-19 spoils their social life and the increasing polarisation among adults creates tensions. Schools and municipalities are increasingly installing sports or panna cages, because they bring positivity and give our youngsters the opportunity to refuel their energy in a sportive and social way. Editorial writer Amaury Stroux has written the following article for the magazine Straatbeeld (Street Image), which is currently being published. Read his interesting findings below.
Society is clashing and grinding within. Increasingly the coarsening and polarisation is noticeable, as well as decreasing empathy and diversity. Many people are afraid of losing their safe (working) environment, of falling by the wayside, of losing their (cultural) traditions and of seeing others profit. This leads to unhealthy tensions. The corona measures and their consequences of those come on top of that.
Social environment
Especially young people are heavily affected by the current problems. Their social life has largely come to a standstill. They are not allowed to go to parties or festivals, their side jobs have disappeared and both their school and leisure time has become immeasurably more boring because of all the COVID-19 measures. And this while the social environment is so enormously important for young people. Also schools and municipalities are struggling with the consequences of the social and corona disturbance. They have to see to it that tensions in the classroom and on the street are removed, that everyone’s safety is guaranteed, that no one is left aside and that everyone – young and old – remains safe and sound. A herculean task, especially due to their often limited financial resources.
Positive relieve
On the bright side however, by thinking in terms of solutions and by focusing on similarities between people instead of differences, like-minded people find each other: local residents, schools, companies, government. And often it is suddenly possible to take a quick, simple and affordable step forward and work on inclusion and social connection, to offer young people a positive outlet. DutchPanna is a company that looks for solutions, for common ground. “We have a philosophy that all children should be able to play outside as much as possible,” explains DutchPanna director John Driessen when asked. “We want to get kids away from their gaming PCs by offering them the opportunity to meet safely in the open air, to play, to play sports and to connect.”
Safe facilities
In order to realise this, DutchPanna places panna cages and sports cages throughout the country. By doing so, the company helps neighbourhoods to have safe sports areas and is also in line with many teachers of physical education (PE) who, as a result of Corona, are increasingly giving PE lessons outside. That development requires safe facilities in which children can play football or basketball and in which the dynamics of play are guaranteed at the same time. To help schools/municipalities make the best choices, DutchPanna advises them in a non-binding way. Interesting aspects include the fact that the cages require little space, are vandal-proof and, thanks to their sound-insulating construction, prevent irritation in the surrounding area. The cages are therefore increasingly being seen on public school and municipal sites.
Idealism
To make the installation of panna, football and sports cages possible in even more locations, DutchPanna also collaborates with the idealistic John de Wolf Sportfoundation. This young but successful foundation finances – at times in combination with local shop promotions – a large part of the purchase costs of a sports cage and focuses mainly on neighbourhoods with few facilities. DutchPanna supplies various round and oval panna and sports cages, with optional basketball poles that make the cages even more multifunctional. Optionally it is also possible to select a special seamless all-weather sports floor, which is made of old sneaker soles. These durable rubber floors are noise-insulation and fall impact-reducing, 100% rainwater-permeable and ensure significantly less knee strain.
DutchPanna has plenty of plans for 2021. A series of installations are scheduled already, of which a considerable part will be realised in cooperation with the John de Wolf Sportfoundation. Furthermore, the company will continue to pay full attention to the safety and sustainability of its sports cages, following the previously mentioned philosophy that all children should be able to play outside safely and together.
New range Calisthenics
Completely new for 2021 is the professional Calisthenics line that DutchPanna has developed especially for public spaces. The equipment in the new range offers the possibility to perform a large number of rhythmic movements – such as running, kicking, grabbing, pushing and pulling – and also to train the (large) muscle groups – such as leg, arm, chest and back – in an efficient way. Just like with the panna and football cages, DutchPanna focuses on quality and safety during the manufacturing and installation of the new line of Calisthenics equipment. This attention is for example reflected in the absence of sharp corners and the choice of safe substrates of wood or rubber chips.
Are you also inspired to give the local youth in the neighbourhood or students at your school a chance to relax and release energy in a healthy way?
Please send us an email or call us. Together, we will find the perfect playing environment within your possibilities.
Happy holidays and stay healthy,
Your DutchPanna team
John, Johan en Ron
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