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National School Sport Champion

National School Sport Week Day 3

Wed 2nd July

My first visit of the day: Ivybridge Sports College - with three schools involved: Ivybridge, Kingsbridge and Okehampton.

For their first National School Sport Week they have decided to focus on the theme ‘promoting healthy active lifestyles and life long participation in physical activity’.

I arrived at the college at 10.30 to a great welcome by some of the gifted and talented students, young ambassadors, the Principal and many other staff.

This was followed by a performance from the Cheerleading squad and the gymnasts. I then went on a tour of the College and National School Sports Week Activities where I took part in a mass aerobics session, had a go at football and witnessed a variety of sports workshops including Dance, Rounders Festival, Athletics (Boys and Girls Elite athletics workshop for hurdles, sprinting, long jump and high jump) and Ultimate Frisbee.

I also learned about all the other workshops that will take place at the college throughout The National School Sport Week: Golf, Cricket for Girls, Endurance Running Session, Hockey, Aerobic workout, Surfing and other beach sports, Hip hop dance, Rocketball, Handball, Futsal, Circuits, Weightlifting, Volleyball, Netball and Rowing. There will be a Swimming Gala and a Staff and Students Tennis Tournament as well!

I held a Q&As session with the college’s Gold Talented and Gifted Students, they asked me a range of questions like how do you pick yourself up from injuries etc… I also spoke to them about the need to have a training diary.

It was a brilliant first visit of the day and Ivybridge definitely shows commitment and dedication to give their students the best chances of succeeding in anything.

Next stop: City Academy Bristol in Bristol…

Second visit of the day: City Academy Bristol – with four Secondary Schools involved: City Academy, Brislington, Brunel Academy, St Mary Redcliffe, Fairfield, and one Primary School.

First stop after arriving at the school with 3 young Gifted and Talented students (two of whom are World and European Junior champs at Tai Kwando and Kick boxing – how awesome) was to the new large Sports Hall with blue flooring where competitions were taking place for Table Tennis, Badminton, and Netball. Gymnastics, Judo and Dance were also taking place at the other end.

I started to go and meet the students who were playing table tennis, but then I was told it had started to rain outside and the young Primary schools where out there so I quickly hurried outside to the 3G Pitch that was split into quarters with football, tag rugby, multi-skills primary festival activities and tennis.

There were a group of young kids playing with a huge colourful parachute – so I joined in! It was so sweet seeing all the kids laughing so much.

Then on to do some football skills which was fun although my ball control is not that great. I get very competitive doing the tag rugby and I definitely have decided it’s one of those team sports I find really fun. Tennis is not my strength but I went to see everyone there who also said they were enjoying themselves.

After a bit of local media I went back to the sports hall to meet two young Judo Players – another sport I love, one of them was European under 23’s Silver medallist so fingers crossed he has a bright future ahead.

The gymnasts from local schools around Bristol were very good! The dancers were led by a really enthusiastic lady – who I hope the school continue to work with – as we need more specialist people involved with schools – they really help the PE teachers by providing extra expertise, I observed this throughout my visits this week and in the past 3 years.

So I then finished off by meeting the netball players and the rest of the badminton and table tennis players before having to shoot off to my next venue.

It was a great visit and what I have noticed on the whole journey is the real commitment and enthusiasm by all the staff at all the schools to make a real difference to young people’s lives.

So onto the last visit of the day, Bromsgrove, and before I land I need to sign some more autograph cards!!

Third visit of the day: South Bromsgrove High School - where The North Worcestershire & Redditch School Sport Partnership Games Inter School Competition is taking place this week.

I arrived to a very enthusiastic reception – some of the young people representing the schools were lined up cheering as I got out of the car as we had to drive from our landing site. We arrived a bit late at the school as I ensure that I meet all the students when I go to each visit which sometimes makes me late, but I don’t like missing people out.

As we walked into the school I was welcomed by a Cheerleading group from different year groups who were very impressive.

Young Ambassadors led me to the Sports Hall to look at Wheelchair Basketball and Sportshall Athletics. I first had a go in the wheelchair which was quite scary as they go quite fast, especially going for the basket which I missed!

There were hundreds of young people around which was brilliant as I got to shake nearly all their hands after being challenged on the speed jumps. I did 50 in 20 seconds which I thought was ok considering I am not fit at the moment. I then went to the gym to see the final of an Indoor Rowing competition, X Biking, and Trampolining which I had a go at. I enjoyed that until they got me to have a go at the somersault – very scary!

Next was another array of activities: SAQ multi skill event, an Ultimate Frisbee competition – I joined in with another group for a bit of fun, a Golf Extreme competition and Tag Rugby on the school field.

At the end of my visit I handed out some winners shields and started the ‘run for Beijing’ with all the pupils. This marked the end of my third day of visits.

Again another fantastic visit, my body is aching. And we’re now half way through The National School Sport Week but I’m raring to go and looking forward to the rest of the week!

Kelly

Click here for the gallery album with loads of photos from the week

Click here to read my National School Sport Week Day 1 report with pictures

Click here to read my National School Sport Week Day 2 report with pictures

Click here to read my National School Sport Week Day 4 report with pictures

Click here to read my National School Sport Week Day 5 report with pictures

Click here for more info on The National School Sport Week and video