38 | COMMENT: BARONESS CAMPBELL ❶
RUNNING START A
Baroness Campbell of Loughborough argues for the crucial importance of top- quality early-years physical education in building a lifetime’s love for sport
s another action- packed summer of sport draws to a close, with many highs and some lows, I am drawn to refl ect upon
the achievements of the young talent in our country. It has been my privilege as the Chair of UK Sport and of the Youth Sport Trust to see what a difference a positive experience in sport makes to young people’s lives at all levels, from exceptionally talented performers through to all young children eager to be active in physical education and school sport. Many young athletes ‘came of age’ this summer, including hockey players Georgie Twigg and Lily Owsley, who claimed silver medals at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. I’ve no doubt that their incredible performances, along with many others, will have captivated and inspired thousands of young people across the country.
With the Commonwealth Games over for another four years, the next high- profi le sporting event gets underway in Manchester from 4-7 September for over 1,600 of the most talented young athletes across the UK. The Sainsbury's 2014 School Games is a major multi-sport event delivered by the Youth Sport Trust with National Lottery funding from Sport England. Just like the Commonwealth Games, the Sainsbury's School Games has a fully inclusive para-sport programme. Many British athletes have used the annual event as a springboard to international success, including Georgie and Lily along with Paralympians Ellie Simmonds, Jonnie Peacock and Hannah Cockroft to name but a few. In fact, over 150 former School Games competitors were part of Glasgow 2014 with 59 athletes claiming 84 medals for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This was a marvellous achievement, and one which augurs well for British performances in the future. A number of independent school pupils are
"We should be mindful
of the huge importance of a positive sporting start at school"
among those competing in Manchester, including some rising stars from hockey and fencing, all hoping to bring home a medal after months of preparation. Athletes with high expectations on their shoulders include 18-year-old fencer Harrison Nichols, from Redhill and Reigate Club, who has clinched the title of British Youth Champion four times already, and 17-year-old Philip Slater from Lisburn, who is ranked No.1 in the Irish, Senior, Junior and Cadet standings. Along with the fencers are hockey stars such as Lucy Inglis from Earlston High School on the Scottish Borders and Hannah Cozens from Millfi eld School in Somerset. Both have already achieved
so much at the tender age of 17: Lucy has been selected for the under-18 2014 Scotland squad, while Hannah was one of the youngest players on the Wales Under-18 team to compete in the fi rst-ever age group European Championships. While refl ecting on the recent
success in Scotland and on the future successes that await those attending the
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