Sports stars
Do you want them to be a sporting success, but don’t think you can afford to give them the support they need? Maybe you’re not sure what facilities there are in your area?
The Government wants all school kids to have the chance of at least two hours a week of top quality PE and sport, both inside and outside school hours. This will not only help to develop talent, but will get them off the sofa and keep them fit and healthy too. We’re spending over £1 billion on public sports facilities to benefit the whole community - including schools, amateur clubs and youth centres.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), have jointly published a leaflet giving parents, guardians and carers advice on keeping children safe in sport.
Our links page has loads of sports ideas to do with your kids – whether it’s at the weekend, after school or in the holidays. Here are a few highlights:
Angley school in Kent has been a sports college since September 2000. It plays a key role in identifying gifted and talented young athletes and produces an individual education plan for each pupil. Pupils playing at international level receive a high level of support, including physiotherapy, grants for travel and equipment, and access to a sports massage therapist.
Young and gifted
If you believe that your child is talented in sports, perhaps it’s time to help them further. The Junior Athlete Education (JAE) is a talent support programme for schools, that helps talented young sports people get ahead with their sport while still being involved with their schoolwork.
The programme offers support workshops for talented young
athletes, including being allocated a mentor at school. It also runs a workshop for parents or carers.
To find out more about JAE and how your child’s school can get involved, telephone the Youth Sport Trust on 01509 226600 or visit www.talentladder.org.uk or www.youthsporttrust.org
Getting active
Active Places is a fantastic source of sports and fitness centres in England. It’s a website where you can search for sports facilities anywhere in the country.
It has information on over 50,000 facilities, covering a huge range of sports activities, at many different levels and for all abilities and ages. There are several ways to search – but one easy way is to just type in your postcode and watch the results.
The site is constantly being updated, so if what you want isn’t available yet, do check again. Just type in your postcode to find out what’s near you.
Sport for everyone - every day
www.everydaysport.com from Sport England is a website aimed at all ages, but with specific features for children and young people. It encourages every one to get involved in any kind of activity, both outdoor and indoor - loads of which are totally free!
The site says that it 'only takes 30 everyday sport minutes a day to become fitter, healthier and happier.'
The project is supported by big name celebrities and sports stars, such as Sir Bobby Robson and model Nell McAndrew. As Rio Ferdinand says:
'The great thing about Everyday Sport is how many different activities you can do, whether it's walking the dog or beating Wes Brown at tennis!'
There's an online sports diary, so why not join the kids and all walk your way to a healthier, happier life?
For more information on other sports activities click here
