If legacy matters, why is the plug being pulled on our pool?
Despite all the hype of the Olympics and the Government’s ‘beyond 2012’ legacy, claiming everyone will benefit from hosting the Games, there’s a distinct lack of funding for grassroots sports. i’m not sure if the Government even knows how little money goes to grassroots sports or how vital they are to sport itself. every Olympian, whatever their chosen sport, began at the grassroots. Kelly Holmes, for instance, started running at the age of 12, after being encouraged by her pe teacher. tom Daley began diving aged seven at his local swimming pool, after watching other children do it. Despite this, and the promises from the Government that money will be invested throughout the UK from elite athletes to grassroots, there are still local councils making plans to close facilities and wipe out some basic-level sports completely from their borough. My 12-year-old daughter has been diving at Oldham sports Centre for more than four years. she had the privilege of being invited to join Oldham Diving Club two years ago, at which she was thrilled. Our council has made plans to demolish the sports centre in the not too distant future, replacing it with new ‘state of the art’ facilities. Fantastic news — except that the plans don’t include a diving pool. Diving is an internationally recognised sport that will play a huge part in the Olympic Games with all eyes on tom Daley. But the future of diving in Oldham is in jeopardy and more than 80 children could lose their chosen sport, along with several sub-aqua clubs that will lose their training pool. is this really the lasting legacy the Government had in mind? these children are the grassroots youngsters who chose a sport and joined a club, with the support of their parents. Most will never reach Olympic standard, but they enjoy the sport just as much.
ANNA OLDFIELD, Oldham, Gtr Manchester.