Playground to Podium Taster Day - News - Wyre And Fylde SSP

Playground to Podium Taster Day

A wonderful event was held at Blackpool Sports Centre for children aged 11 to 16 for the Fylde Coast secondary schools. The event was named "A Taste of Playground to Podium". The Youth Sport Trust Playground to Podium initiative is a programme aimed at young people with a disability to enable them to enjoy and become more involved in sport. It is about giving all young people with a disability, whether it be a physical or a learning difficulty real chance to shine in sport. It allows participation for all, and there will be some fantastic opportunities for youngsters with a particular talent to go on to greater things, who knows, maybe even to the next Paralympic Games in London 2012.   The sports focussed on under the programme are Football, Athletics, Boccia, Swimming, Table Tennis and Wheelchair Basketball. At the Blackpool Taster Day all children had a go at Athletics, Football and Boccia, under the excellent guidance of the fantastic coaches from Blackpool Wyre and Fylde AC, Lancashire FA and a Boccia Coach Andy Whittaker.   27 children took part on the day from the secondary schools: Baines School, Cardinal Allen, Carr Hill, Hodgson, Lytham St Annes, Millfield and St Bedes.   There are plenty more Talent Identification Days arranged for the coming months in all 6 sports and I am sure there will be a great number of talented young people emerging from these days. Those young people identified will be guided towards specialist clubs under the guidance of the governing body for each of the sports. However, there are also many many great opportunities for young disabled people of whatever ability in the area to participate in club sports. An excellent source of information on what is available can be found here: www.lancashiresport.org.uk then follow the links to "Disability Sport".  

Ian Squire, the Inclusion School Sport Coordinator for the Wyre and Fylde School Sport Partnership said,

"Seeing the young people at this event thoroughly enjoying the sports under the guidance of top coaches hit home to me the value of sport for all in our society. Sport gives young people who experience diificulties a real chance in life to enjoy and achieve. Some will go on to higher level competition and maybe represent Lancashire or their country just like Lisa, while some can go on enjoying and participating for fun throughout their lives, helping them to keep fit and healthy. I am really looking forward to seeing these young people develop and shine. It has been a priviledge to be part of this scheme. Many thanks to all the coaches, school staff and parents for their support for these fantastic young people."

For more infornation on Disability Sport in the area please contact:

Ian Squire on 07817 111259 or email i.squire@redmarsh.lancs.sch.uk

or Mark Stephenson at Lancashire Sport: mstephenson@myerscough.ac.uk

More Playground to Podium Days are planned for the summer term in the sports of Athletics, Wheelchair Basketball, Football, Swimming and Table Tennis. Contact Ian Squire for further details.

Further information on Playground to Podium can be found in the Resources Section of this website.

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