Berkshire youngsters jump at chance to get involved in sporting legacy
Archived press release
Date Published: 03/02/12
With less than six months to go before the Olympics, thousands of young people in the South East are being inspired to do more sport, thanks to Sport England’s Sportivate legacy programme. Over 4200 young people have already completed a sports course in the first six months of the Sport England programme.
Responding to the legacy pledge made by Seb Coe in Singapore in 2005, Sportivate is giving teenagers and young adults - who currently aren’t playing sport in their own time - the chance to receive six to eight weeks of coaching in a sport of their choice. The young people are then helped to find a club or venue where they can keep taking part.
Berkshire youngsters are leading the way – with almost 1000 of them taking part in the fun courses, with the help of Berkshire County Sports Partnership, which is managing the National Lottery funded programme in the county.
Savannah King, 17, from Maidenhead has taken part in the Sportivate rowing and kayaking courses at Longridge Activity Centre and has now become a volunteer at the centre. Savannah said,
‘If it hadn’t been for Sportivate I wouldn’t have been here at Longridge at all, now I am here taking part in kayaking all of the time’.
In total there are over 80 Sportivate projects taking place in Berkshire including a cheerleading project in Windsor that has engaged almost 100 young people and a golf project in Slough where 85 young people have already benefitted from the coaching available.
All those who complete a sports course, missing no more than one session, and then continue to participate in sport for at least three months will have the chance to enter a ballot for free London 2012 tickets. Sport England has hundreds of Olympic and Paralympic tickets available for Sportivate participants via the London 2012 Ticketshare initiative.
Sport England’s Chair, Richard Lewis, said: “We’re delighted that so many young people in the South East have been inspired to get involved in sport through Sportivate. This is what the Olympic and Paralympic legacy is all about and it’s great to hear about the many young people discovering a new passion for sport.”
Berkshire County Sport Partnership’s Chief Executive, Mark Lawrie said, ‘ Sportivate provides a fantastic opportunity for young people in Berkshire to try new sports and become inspired to keep participating when they finish their eight weeks of coaching. The range of sports available across the County through our network of partners is extremely diverse and reflects the different needs of our young people’.
As part of the Places People Play official legacy programme, Sportivate will see 300,000 teenagers and young adults completing sports courses over four years across England.