Hyndburn kids’
TEAM Hyndburn and Ribble Valley have clinched 18 places at the largest youth sporting event in Lancashire.
Pupils from schools across Hyndburn and Ribble Valley have successfully made it to the SPAR Lancashire School Games county finals. Each team will now battle it out against 13 other Lancashire districts in a bid to be crowned county champions.
Winning five events over the inter-district competitions is St Augustine’s RC High School. The school will join team Ribble Valley in orienteering, super eight athletics, touch rugby, inclusive orienteering and the off-road duathlon event.
In perfect weather conditions for golf, the Ribble Valley and Hyndburn inter-district tri-golf competition was held at Accrington Golf Club. The club offered each of the 13 schools a challenging but realistic competition due to it’s uneven surface. St Charles came out on top for team Hyndburn and St James’ will represent team Ribble Valley at the county finals.
Accrington Academy had a trio of great results for Hyndburn after they scored gold in orienteering, inclusive football and inclusive orienteering. Joining them at the county finals is Mount Pleasant in high five netball and quick sticks hockey. St Christopher’s CE Primary School are also three times district champions after competing in girls’ rounders, super eight athletics and the off-road duathlon event.
St Mary’s Langho Primary School will join Mount Pleasant representing team Ribble Valley in high five netball and quick sticks hockey. Pupils from Whalley C of E Primary School and St Batholomew’s CE Primary School jumped into the county finals after competing at the level two quad kids competition.
Also attending the county finals to represent the district is Pendle Primary School in Ribble Valley and Benjamin Hargreaves C E Primary School in kwik cricket, St Mary’s Roman Catholic Primary School will represent the districts in girls’ football and Clitheroe Royal Grammar School will compete in the super eight athletics boys team with The Hollins Technology College.
Finally, Oakhill College will compete against Accrington Academy at the county finals, against 13 other districts in the inclusive football event.
Jane Johnson, school games organiser for Rib- ble Valley, who arranged the event, said: “The SPAR Lancashire School Games is a series of competitive school sports designed to motivate and enthuse all youngsters and I am pleased these four events brought together children across Hyndburn and Ribble Valley to compete against each other in team sports.
“I’d like to say a huge thank you to all of the young leaders who have supported us throughout the level two events and all the organisations which hosted the children at their venues and let us use their facilities – without this support the SPAR Lancashire School Games would not be possible. Good luck to each team who will be joining us at the county finals.”
Organised by Active Lancashire, the SPAR Lancashire School Games comprises a series of inclusive sporting events that provides competitive and participative opportunities for all school children across the county. Children across Lancashire will continue to battle it out in a range of sports to gain a place at the SPAR Lancashire School Games county finals which will be held at Blackpool’s Stanley Park on July 3.
More than 3,500 children from schools across Lancashire’s 15 districts are now battling it out for a place at the county finals in 16 sports including gymnastics, football, athletics, mixed cricket and touch rugby. New additions to the SPAR Lancashire School Games include quick sticks and quad kids.
The SPAR Lancashire School Games is the biggest school games programme of its kind and is implemented by the county’s school games organisers.
This year will mark the twelfth year the county’s school games programme has been sponsored by James Hall & Company Ltd, the SPAR distributors for the north of England. Over £128m of National Lottery and Government funding has been invested into the school games programme.