Sporting chance for schools

THOUSANDS of children—including many from Rotherham—are under starter’s orders for the South Yorkshire School Games.

Youngsters from hundreds of primary and secondary schools will compete at various age groups across a wide range of sports, including disability formats, with successful individuals going forward to national finals to be held at London's Olympic facilities.

Two School Games festivals, both over two days, will be held in South Yorkshire for three years from 2012.

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The Winter festival will be held at the world-class facilities of the English Institute of Sport Sheffield in Attercliffe on March 12-13. The Summer festival will be held on July 2-3 at the Abbeydale Sports complex in Sheffield.

The winter festival will feature athletics, netball, gymnastics, basketball, cheerleading, boccia and new-age curling.

The summer festival will feature tennis, cricket, rugby union, rounders, rowing and football.

Both festivals, which will have a strong cultural element showcasing a range of school-based activities such as dance, drama and music, will have opening and closing and medal ceremonies based on the Olympic and Paralymic ideals. They will be the culmination of intra-school and inter-schools competitions.

The Sport England funded School Games are designed to motivate and inspire young people to take part in more competitive school sport that will form part of the Olympic Legacy.