Future talent unearthed at school games JOHN STEELE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE YOUTH SPORT TRUST @YOUTHSPORTTRUST


bledon Finals and many international competitions, but there was something uniquely special about the Sainsbury’s 2013 School Games. It has an honesty and freshness like no other event. Backed by National Lottery funding


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from Sport England and run by the Youth Sport Trust, this national multi- sport event, held in Sheffield from 12-15 September this year, provided our elite young sports stars with the opportunity to thrive and perform at the highest level. Over a period of four days, 1,600 athletes descended on the city’s sporting venues to compete across 12 current and future Olympic and Paralympic sports. Records were broken and medals won, but equally, hearts were broken and


’ve been privileged to witness first hand Olympic and Paralympic Games, World Cup Finals, Wim-


tears shed as the athletes put their prep- aration into play. Whether a good or bad result, it’s about the experience gained from being part of such a big event. Being part of a team, staying in an Ath-


letes Village, knowing what and when to eat and balancing the fun with the com- petition; it’s all valuable preparation for the future and for many, a stepping stone to competing at national level. Over the years, the competition has


played host to a number of successful athletes who have gone on to represent Team GB and Paralympics GB. Alumni including Paralympic gold


medallists, Jonnie Peacock, Hannah Cock- roft and Ellie Simmonds; sprinter Adam Gemilli and heptathlete Katarina John- son-Thompson, all had the opportunity to experience the national competition and have gone on to achieve great things.


What I admire most


about the event is that young people are central to it. They do everything from supporting athletes at the village and officiating at events, to being part of spectacular singing and dancing performances and hosting the opening and closing ceremonies. More than 150 young athletes also


headed to Sheffield to take part in the Youth Sport Trust’s Talent Inspiration Pro- gramme – a great opportunity for athletes taking part in the Sainsbury’s School Games programme to understand the de- mands of high level performance sport. There have been many things said


about legacy – and much of the impact won’t be seen for years to come – but to me, this is an event which demonstrates that competitive sporting opportunity for young people is alive and well.


Creating the legacy by bridging the gap between


operators, schools, communities and experts DEAN HORRIDGE, CEO AND FOUNDER OF FIT FOR SPORT @FITFORSPORTUK


build on this to enjoy a healthy life- style into adulthood. There have been many articles published about the lack of legacy. I say stop talking and start doing something about it! A good start point is to ensure all chil-


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dren are engaged in physical activity and not just focused on sport. The term sport is used too often and too early with young children. From working with schools for more than 25 years, we’ve learned that if we use the word ‘sport’ as an engagement tool for kids aged 5-8 (school years 1-3), we lose the engage- ment of two-thirds of the class – because only around a third are ‘good at sport’.


Issue 3 2013 © cybertrek 2013


o establish a lasting legacy from 2012 we must engage children in physical activity so they can


Our focus needs to be on activity: if a


child enjoys being active, we can build their confidence to take up a sport later. I would like to see an emphasis on


‘activity’ for years 1 and 2, progressing to ‘games’ and competition to increase their confidence and sense of achievement in years 3 and 4. By years 5 and 6 (ages 9, 10 and 11) they will be ready for more sports-focused participation to take into secondary school and young adulthood. This is what I call the Journey to Sport. The reality is few schools have the re-


sources and expertise to deliver sufficient activities for pupils on their own. By work- ing with operators, experts and their local community they can bring many more opportunities to children and deliver the legacy of sport everyone’s looking for.


We know this from experience and


are now running Legacy Games Days for schools in partnership with leisure provider Everyone Active. Up to 1,000 children from local schools engage in a day of fun, physical activity where the emphasis is on participation and trying new activities. Many of these activities are sports, but they’re presented in a fun, engaging way. The children don’t say they’ve spent the day playing sport: they say they’ve played games. I’m convinced that with a little effort


and commitment, operators, schools, experts and local communities working in partnership can deliver a lasting legacy of active participation for children. Once children are excited about activi- ty, their journey into sport is more likely.


Read Sports Management online sportsmanagement.co.uk/digital 7


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