School Games Festival celebrated in Hertfordshire

More than 1000 budding sports stars across Hertfordshire competed in their first School Games Festival today.  The event is part of a new and exciting opportunity to encourage young people to play more competitive sport in school and leave a lasting sporting legacy of London’s Olympics.

The Hertfordshire Festival is one of nine pilot events taking place across the country this summer ahead of the launch of the new national School Games competition in September. The new completion will use the inspiration of 2012 to get more young people playing competitive sport, and will build up to a national final in the Olympic Stadium in May 2012.   

At the event Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport Jeremy Hunt set out his plans to use the School Games to drive a step change in school sport for disabled children.  He said:

“The School Games will revive competitive sport in thousands of schools up and down the country, and will be a key part of the sporting legacy of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.  And we are going to level the playing field for young disabled athletes by giving them more opportunities to play sport.  I want to thank all the people in Hertfordshire and the YST for making this pilot School Games festival such a success.”

The Youth Sport Trust will be delivering the School Games and its Chair, Baroness Sue Campbell, said:

“Competitive sport teaches young people a range of life skills - from confidence and self esteem to respect and friendship - all of which will support them as they continue to progress through school and on to future careers.  Improving sporting opportunities for young people with disabilities is a key focus for the Youth Sport Trust and the School Games is an excellent opportunity to give them much greater access to competitive sport.” 

Maria Miller, Minister for Disabled People, said: 

“The School Games are designed to increase the number of sports for disabled people and showcase their talents.  But they will also help to challenge outdated perceptions of disabled people in competitive sport and act as a catalyst for our sporting talents of the future."

Former Olympic medallists Darren Campbell and Mark Richardson, former Paralympian medallist Ade Adepitan and current Paralympian Helen Freeman joined the competitors at the Hertfordshire School Games event.

Young people taking part in the School Games will have the chance to compete in a range of Olympic and Paralympic sports such as hockey, tennis, volleyball, swimming and boccia.  Intra school competitions will lead to town, country and ultimately national levels.

Schools can sign up to take part at: www.yourschoolgames.com

The School Games is supported by a range of partners including the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Sport England, Department of Health, Paralympics GB and the Youth Sport Trust.  More than £100 million of Lottery and Government funding is being injected into the School Games over the next three years.