Schools given 2012 Olympic challenge

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AS THE countdown begins to this year's London games, the gauntlet is being thrown down to schools across Bromsgrove to enter the district's own answer to the Olympics.

The School Games, for children aged between three and 13, is aimed at including as many young people as possible in the sports on offer, regardless of their ability and background.

Local competitions will be taking place throughout the year in a variety of sports - from football and golf to dance and wheelchair basketball.

The best school teams and individuals will then be selected to take part in a Worcestershire School Games, which is being held at Bromsgrove School in June - a month before the London Olympics gets underway.

Ahead of the events across the district, a rallying call has been made to schools by Tracey Freer, who is the school games organiser for North Worcestershire and a key person behind the School Games.

She said: "It is not just about competition, but using the games to promote and encourage other areas including cross-curricular activities, school club links, health, disability sport, leadership and volunteering.

“Access to regular and appropriate competitive sport is crucial to the development of every young person.

"The School Games is a great tool to achieve this for the schools and young people in the area and so by working with key partners such as Bromsgrove District and Redditch Borough Councils, the County Sports Partnership and National Governing Bodies, we are able to make this happen."

She added she recognised the benefits sport and physical activity could bring to young people and added she hoped the new programme for school sport would engage more pupils in competition and promote self-confidence, self-esteem and enjoyment within sport.

She concluded by calling on everyone to get behind the School Games and create a meaningful sporting legacy that North Worcestershire could be proud of.

For more on the School Games, call Tracey on 07838 736266 or e-mail her at: traceyf@chadsgrove.worcs.sch.uk.