Olympians lead young Sports Leaders
 ‘Leaders
for Life 2009’ took 200 Sports Leaders through a range of practical
activities to develop leadership skills and show paths to further
education, employment and volunteering. Four Olympic athletes led
the two hundred young people from all over Britain at the MK Dons
stadium on Saturday 4 July and Kent won two out of the five scholarships
on offer to summer camp jobs in the USA.
Young leaders from Kent
won scholarships to work in the USA as their efforts were rewarded
at the first ever national convention hosted by Sports Leaders UK.
- Sophie Killian, 17, from Canterbury High School is planning on
using her scholarship next summer in between finishing her studies
at Canterbury and going to University.
- Freddie Ruby, part of the Charlton Athletic Community Trust, also
won a scholarship.
- Daniel Lant from Maidstone also picked up a Volunteer Recognition
Award.
In total eight people from Kent and Medway attended the convention,
led by Stuart Butler, Sports Leaders Co-ordinator from the Kent Sport
Leisure and Olympics Service.
After a successful day for the Kent based attendees Stuart commented,
“This day was a reward to all who attended for their achievements
in taking part or running successful leadership courses over the past
year. The convention was a superb event and you take real inspiration
from meeting Olympians who have performed at the top of their chosen
sports. It was an excellent day for Kent with three of our attendees
appearing on stage to collect their various prizes. I’m confident
this will inspire others to achieve in the upcoming year so we can
represent out county again next year with similar success.”
Sports Leaders UK is the Milton Keynes-based charity that delivers
sports leadership awards and qualifications for 200,000 young people
every year in schools, colleges, youth clubs, prisons and community
groups. The ‘Leaders for Life’ convention is part of a
development programme that boosts Sports Leaders UK involvement in
community delivery of sport and physical activity.
Olympians leading the day’s activities were: Katharine Merry
(400 metres), Steve Parry (Swimming), Sarah Paverly (Fencing), and
Brendan Reilly (high jump).
Katharine Merry told the Sports Leaders that skills gained through
sport could lead to a great future, “There’s no difference
in the skills and disciplines needed to be an Olympic athlete than
to be best at college, best in education, best in the workplace. Hard
work, dedication, teamwork, communication: that’s what sports
people do on a daily basis. That’s why the Sports Leaders UK
convention here today is so important because there is no line between
sport and those skills for life.”
Sports Leaders UK chief executive, Linda Plowright said, “The
day was a great learning experience and a lot of fun for the all participants.
For some it will offer real opportunities to further careers or widen
volunteering horizons. As well as creating activities for young people,
we hope the convention provided an opportunity to listen to what they
have to say about sport, education and employment.”
For further information on
Sports Leaders UK please follow this link
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