Sporting Success at SPAR Lancashire Youth Games 2008!
The SPAR Lancashire Youth Games 2008 took place on Friday & Saturday at Stanley Park in Blackpool. Over the two days, almost 2000 young people turned up to take part in 11 different sports representing their district at the largest youth multi-sport event in the county.
For the first time, the Games held a Disability Event, involving 50 teams from Special Educational Needs Schools from all 14 districts of Lancashire. The 400 young people took part in Boccia, Football and a PMLD Sensory Event that involved encouraging team members to work together to complete a range of challenges around the park.
Head Organiser Allan Cook, Disability Sports Development Officer for Preston City Council commented;
“It is really exciting to have an additional day of multi-activity events aimed specifically at young people with disabilities included in the SPAR Lancashire Youth Games. The Games are a real celebration of taking part, getting active and doing the best you possibly can.
Feedback from the day has been extremely positive and we hope to build on the success of this year’s event to encourage the provision of regular, high quality sporting opportunities for young people with disabilities across the county.”
Saturday saw over 300 volunteers and hundreds of supporters turn up to cheer on the teams at what was one of the biggest Games to date. The opening ceremony had a carnival atmosphere with winners of the SPAR Borough Banner competition leading their teams around the athletic track to mark the start of the Games. With entertainments on show such as local bands, cheerleaders, giant cricketers on stilts and a comedy break dancing duo the crowds certainly felt the summer spirit.
Stuart Glover, Chair of the Lancashire Youth Games Steering Group was proud to be involved with the Games:
"Once again, the SPAR Youth Games were a great success. I congratulate all the young people taking part as they all did their best and should consider themselves a credit to the schools and local districts they were representing. Their effort and determination was clear to see and walking around the Games it was great to see that everyone was having fun. I also would like to thank SPAR, the organisers and volunteers who worked so hard in making both Friday and Saturday's events happen"
The Games’ have been organised by all fourteen local authorities in Lancashire, National Governing Bodies of Sport and Lancashire Sport Partnership. For the second year running the event has been sponsored by SPAR distributor James Hall & Company (Southport) Ltd.
Competitors took part in the following sports: Athletics Year 5/6 Mixed, Gymnastics Year 3/ 4 Mixed, Hockey Year 7 Girls, Orienteering Year 9/10 Mixed, Rugby Union Year 6 Mixed & Year 7 Girls, Netball Year 5/6 Mixed, Crown Green Bowling U15 Mixed, Cricket Yr 5 Mixed and Yr 6 Girls.
A number of VIPs also attended the events. The Civic Leaders of the Borough Councils, local Mayors, Sport England representatives and proud sponsors SPAR attended a reception and greatly enjoyed a tour of the Games cheering on the teams and presenting the winners with trophies.
The young people taking part were thrilled to meet two sporting heroes who attended the Games. Sporting Champions Steve Daley, Captain of the England Partially Sighted Futsal Team, and Richard Whitehead, Paralympian Hockey Player and Marathon Runner, were both on hand to provide support to participants, chat with volunteers and sign autographs throughout the course of the events.
A special mention should be made to all the volunteers and team managers for their efforts in helping the events to run smoothly. Hopefully, the young people that are not already engaged in clubs around the county will now proceed to join their local clubs and continue to get pleasure out of playing sport. We hope that some of the participants will be inspired to compete in sport further and could potentially take part in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
To view the results from the Games click here
To view a selection of photographs from the events click here