Press Release: Schools Challenge for the games

A project has been launched which will see more than 1,500 children given a taste of what it would be like to compete at London 2012.

Coventry Schools Challenge for the Games is a Coventry Sports Foundation-led project which will see pupils from 27 primary schools acrossCoventrywork with experienced sports coaches to experience six different Olympic sports.

Throughout the project the coaches will be working with the children at their schools or at one of the three Coventry Sports Foundation-managed sites – the Xcel Leisure Centre, inMitchell Avenue, Centre AT7, inBell Green Road, or the Alan Higgs Centre, inAllard Way.

At the end of every term they will get the chance to compete in an end of term mini festival at their school.

Coventry Sports Foundation has just been awarded the London 2012 Inspire Mark for the project – which is awarded to projects which are inspired by London 2012.

Kayle Burgham, senior coaching development officer at Coventry Sports Foundation, said: “The project has been created to give children the opportunity to experience a range of Olympic sports and raise the awareness of the Olympic and Paralympic values.

“We believe the Olympic and Paralympic values of respect, friendship, equality, excellence, courage, inspiration and determination are as important in day to day life as they are in a sporting setting.

“We are delighted to have been awarded the London 2012 Inspire Mark and we hope we can encourage these youngsters to continue participating in sport beyond London 2012.”

Every school will be given a country which they will represent throughout the project. During the end of term festivals each school will gain points for their country, which are then recorded into the Coventry Schools Challenge table.

At the end of the year we will have a final table with a winning school / country similar to the Olympics final medals table.

For more information on the Coventry Schools Challenge for the Games project visit www.covsf.com.

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