Team GB star helps school pupils launch annual sports spectacular
THE countdown to the largest youth sporting event in the county has officially begun after pupils from across West Lancashire celebrated the launch of this year’s SPAR Lancashire School Games at a fun-filled event.
Pupils from Westhead Lathom St James CE Primary School gathered at Preston-based James Hall & Company in preparation for months of sporting competitions alongside the school games mascot, the Lancashire Lion, while pupils were also treated to a speech from Team GB race walker and world record holder Tom Bosworth.
Organised by Lancashire Sport Partnership, the SPAR Lancashire School Games comprises a series of inclusive sporting events that provides competitive opportunities for all school children across the county. The annual Disability Swimming Gala will take place on March 20 at Lancaster’s Salt Ayre Leisure Centre, while the county finals will be held at Blackpool’s Stanley Park on July 3.
More than 3,500 children from schools across Lancashire’s 15 districts will now battle it out for a place at the county finals in 16 sports including gymnastics, football, athletics, mixed cricket and touch rugby.
Tom Bosworth enlightened children with an inspiring speech about his career, sharing an insight into how sport has changed his life.
He said: “Any campaign or organisation that gets children interested in sport is priceless. I was introduced to professional sport by being influenced to get involved with athletics at a young age and I have never looked back. It has completely altered the course of my life, so if the school games programme influences just one child to take up sport, it will all be worth it.”
The SPAR Lancashire School Games is the biggest school games programme of its kind. This year will mark the 12th year since the first SPAR Lancashire School Games, which is sponsored by James Hall & Company.