School Games Summer Festival Set To Be The Biggest Yet!
Two thousand aspiring young sports stars will be going head-to-head in 15 events at an Olympic-style competition next month.
The pupils, from across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, will represent their schools and compete in tag rugby, netball, rounders, golf, volleyball and cross country at the School Games on June 24th. They have taken part in months of competitions in the build up to the event, with the hope of being crowned county champions. A Change4Life multi skills festival involving 500 participants will also run alongside the competitions and encourages all ages and abilities to come and take part.
Olympian and double Commonwealth Gold Medallist gymnast, Craig Heap, has found time to support the event just before he is set to join the gymnastics commentary team in Rio for the Olympic Games. Craig will be on hand to provide words of advice and encouragement to athletes along with plenty of much loved ‘selfies’. The day will kick off with an Olympic inspired opening ceremony with performances from students at Newcastle-under-Lyme College Performing Arts Centre. A mass warm up will then get competitors ready for what is set be an exhilarating day of sport.
Events will be taking place across the recently developed sports facilities at Keele University. The Cross Country event is set to be the biggest to date with over 600 pupils from Year’s 3 through to Year 6 taking on the challenge and proudly representing their school and district.
The event will also host some of the county’s most promising rising stars. The ‘Talent Inspiration Programme’ brings together young national and county standard athletes from across the county and provides them with learning opportunities to support them in achieving their sporting goals.
All the athletes will have the chance to soak up the atmosphere of the day by visiting the athletes village which will have plenty of fun sporty activities on offer.
Local Organising Committee Chair Simon Ascroft said: “This year’s event promises to be the biggest and best yet, with over 2,000 competitors from more than 100 schools across the length and breadth of the sub-region.
“We are privileged once again to be able to use the fantastic facilities at Keele University and I would like to thank our hosts for their support and generosity in supporting these games.
“This is a real opportunity to showcase the wealth of talent that exists in our primary and secondary schools and I would like to wish every competitor the very best of luck.”
The School Games Summer Festival 2016 is organised by a Local Organising Committee in conjunction with Sport Across Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent with funding from Sport
For more information contact:
Nadine Barnard (School Games Coordinator & Club Development Manager)
T: 01785 619726
E: nbarnard@stafford.bc.gov.uk
Please visit www.staffsandstokeschoolgames.co.uk