More than 2,500 children and 50 schools came together on Friday to take part in the annual Cornwall School Games supported by Whirlwind Sports.
The summer games were hosted this year at Poltair School in St Austell and enabled hundreds of primary and secondary students the opportunity to showcase their sporting abilities in competitive school sport, some for the first time.
Emma Moore, School Games Organiser at Poltair School said, “In the year that Birmingham hosts the Commonwealth Games in this country it’s great to see Cornwall host our own games here at Poltair School and engage so many children in competitive school sport.”
The Cornwall School Games is funded by Sport England, delivered by the Youth Sport Trust and organised locally by Active Cornwall.
The main summer games are part of a series of School Games events that 15,000+ young people (20% of all pupils in Cornwall) compete in, in 30 sports including 5 Projectability sports, across many venues and supported by over 300 young Games Makers and volunteers.
Megan Hilley, from Active Cornwall said: “This is a fantastic event that gives so many children the opportunity to not only be physically active and enjoy sport with their friends but also get a taste of competitive sport and represent their school.
"All the schools involved really get behind the Games and celebrate each other’s success and help support aspirations around ‘Cornwall as a brilliant place to be a
child and grow up’.”
The opening ceremony began with confetti canons exploding before children went on to take part in a range of sports including tri-golf, gymnastics, dodgeball, cricket and more.
St Austell and Newquay MP, Steve Double, attended and said: “I think sport has so much to offer whatever the physical ability. It prepares you for so many aspects of life.”
Hundreds of students acted as advocates by becoming School Games Makers for the day. They assisted with the games, supported activities and were on hand to help.
This year Active Cornwall organised for a media team of students from Poltair School to report live on the event. Year 10 boys and girls spent the day managing social media channels, writing blogs, taking photographs and interviewing participants.
Student, Josh Lapham, said: “I have learnt the differences between using different social media platforms to promote a business. My favourite thing was interviewing my teachers and new people because it was daunting, but I got over it!”
