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Step into Sport at Teesside

03 March 2006

 

Local school children are being encouraged to Step into Sport at the University of Teesside.

The Youth Sport Trust’s Step into Sports Conferences give 14 – 16 year olds the opportunity to take part in workshops run by professional athletes in the £6.5m Olympia sports building. The pupils are then able to organise sporting events at local primary schools. University of Teesside Sport Science students will help the children and act as team leaders.

The first conference was held on Thursday 2 March, with Olympic and Commonwealth medallist and former world record holding swimmer Nick Gillingham, while orienteer Heather Munro will be working with the children on Tuesday 7 March.

Nick Gillingham said: “Today is about teaching the young adults the skills to work across the whole range of sports and develop their own skills. As well as competitors, we need volunteers to help with all kinds of sporting events. Without volunteers, sport in the UK would stop. For the 2012 Olympics, 70,000 volunteers will be needed just to help the games operate. And that doesn’t include the people who help the athletes during their training to get there.”

Martin Pout, Senior Lecturer in Sport & Exercise, said: “Teesside is just one of three universities to host two events, with the rest of the other 50 holding only one. This is a great sign of support for our students and our facilities. It’s a real coup for us. It’s also a great opportunity for our students to work with the local kids and I’m sure they’ll benefit from the experience.

“Anything that gets kids into sport has got to be applauded and I think training secondary school kids to help encourage primary school kids is brilliant. I’m really pleased that we’re part of it and I hope the kids enjoy their time with us, but more importantly I hope it encourages them to get active.”


 
 
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