Sports awards
Thursday 8 November 2007
The Sky Living For Sport Awards took place last month. n2k chatted to Olympic medalist Darren Campbell and some of the young winners about how sport had changed their lives. Watch the video.
Sports works
Did you know that sports can make you feel positive and improve your outlook on life? Sport can be a hugely rewarding pastime to get into and the benefits are physical and psychological. Whether you're into athletics, team or winter sports, keeping fit keeps the body running at its peak performance.
The idea behind the Sky Living for Sports scheme is to use the power of sport to inspire young people to better themselves. The scheme started in 2003 and is aimed at 11-16 year olds who are at risk of opting out of school life, whether through not going to school very much or lack of confidence.
How does it work?
Students work with their teachers and other support staff to set personal targets and goals. They then go out and take part in all sort of sports from sailing to archery and even martial arts. The students are then asked to organise their own sporting event at their school or somewhere in the local community. Events held this year included tournaments between schools and dance performances.
The Awards
The Awards take place at the end of the scheme and the categories for schools taking part this year were Sustainability, Communications, and the Partnership award. There were also awards for individuals – Young Achiever, Buddy award and Team Player award. As well as awards the winners also receive vouchers and cash for themselves and their schools.
Luke won Gold in the Team Player category, and spoke to n2k about how he used to be violent to his teachers before he started the scheme. “I’m really proud,” Luke told n2k. “I thought to myself Luke, you’ve done it you’ve achieved something”.
Silver award winner of the Young Achiever award - Ellie, came from troubled home life and also thought her award could help inspire other younger kids who might be going through similar problems as her. “It could help them to work hard to get the good grades they want to achieve,” she said.
Sinead won the Gold Young Achiever award and before the scheme was not going to school very much, didn’t do that well when she did and had a record of poor behaviour. Sinead has now improved her confidence so much that she has started her own girls’ football team, organising weekly training sessions and friendly matches. She has even become a mentor!
Helping young people
The Awards were presented on the day by Olympic Gold Medallist Darren Campbell MBE - only one of the schemes he is involved in which aims to inspire and help young people through sporting activities.
Another of the schemes he works with - Street Athletics, organises sprint races for youth on council estates and community areas. A group then get the chance to travel to Paris to watch a big event.
"That was one story that touched me," remembers Darren speaking about one lad from Liverpool who came from a difficult family background, and was selected to go to Paris.
“On his arrival back to Liverpool station he turned round to the youth worker and said with his chest puffed out , “I feel like someone. Even though I’m a nobody I actually feel like somebody.” For me that’s what it’s all about.”
Interested in taking up a sport? Take a look at the sports pages of n2k.
