GET GRASSROOTS BACK ON TRACK
MONDAY brought the news we had hoped for. Gyms, leisure centres, running tracks and swimming pools can reopen from next week and we can begin to focus on the positives of getting all of us, kids in particular, active and back into sport.
The second lockdown in England brought similar challenges to the first. While people were encouraged to exercise outdoors this time, once again it meant the closure of sports facilities up and down the country – regardless of the local infection rate.
There are many ways we can combat this virus, I’m sure, but hitting people’s physical and mental health by depriving them of the chance to do, in many cases, that one bit of exercise a day perhaps – a spell in the gym, or a swim – did not sit well with me.
For some, maybe all that gets them out of the house is working out. Some people use swimming pools for rehabilitation from injury and, most importantly, there is the effect this is having on the next generation.
Unlike during the first lockdown, children were able to go to school but their clubs and teams were shut down. This meant they could not get access to sporting environments, both individually and as a team, and the physical relief and mental stimulation those environments provide.
I speak from personal experience. As a kid, I did sport every day after school so I know how much I would be missing that physical activity and the social interaction. For me it’s clear people are concerned by the way these lockdowns are affecting their health. I have been lucky enough to get an elite athlete exemption so my training partner, Daryll Neita, and I can train at my local track in south-east London.
Meanwhile, a few metres away in the park, people are running, jogging and walking in close proximity because they can’t get access to either the track we are using or the gym. I struggled to see the sense in that.
Thankfully, the government has now decided to open up leisure centres again and we can focus on getting the nation and our children back into sport.
I volunteer for Central Park Athletics Club locally and I have a group I coach which ranges in age from ten and 11year-olds to much older people.
I had to stop that during lockdown, it was heartbreaking to see the impact that had on those involved. The kids I coach lost that personal touch, interaction with their peers and the motivation and sense of camaraderie that comes with it.
I fear we have not seen the end of lockdowns this winter and I hope lessons can be learnt from this one. I understand shutting pubs, bars and restaurants but please don’t stop people from doing physical exercise and sport, we have too much to lose.
As we move forward it will all be about setting priorities and delivering a clear message. I hope both elite and grassroots sport are at the top of that priority list and the message is clear – exercise and sport, at every level, is vital for us and our communities.
In more positive news, the government announced a £300million bailout for sport amid the ongoing Covid crisis – unfortunately there was no consideration for athletics in that decision. As an athlete and a fan of the sport, that was another decision which left me scratching my head. Track and field impacts on so many people’s lives, it’s accessible to everyone and is a gateway into so many other sports. It, like so many other sports, needs a lifeline during very difficult times.
When I combine these elements I really worry about the future of our sport. With clubs being locked down and funding support being nonexistent, we need to get creative about how we keep youngsters engaged. It’s already hard enough to get them away from things like video games and onto the sports field in this day and age. It is even harder to do that if we close the clubs and don’t support the infrastructure the sport depends on.
■ Adam Gemili is a Muller Ambassador and member of the Muller Athletic Squad. Muller Rice is a source of protein, low fat and available in Original, Strawberry, Apple and Vanilla Custard
I fear we haven’t seen the end of lockdowns and I hope lesson can be learnt