Yorkshire schools to help pilot Olympic-style sports

NORTH Yorkshire was named topday as one of the first nine regions where children will take part in Britain's new Olympic and Paralympic-style sports contest.

Schools in the Black Country, London, Cornwall, Greater Manchester, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lincolnshire and Tyne and Wear will also pilot the competition from early next year.

Schools will compete against each other in leagues at a local level, with winning athletes and teams qualifying for area finals.

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Schools will be encouraged to host in-house Olympic-style sports days for children of all abilities.

There will be a Paralympic element at every level of the competition for young people with disabilities.

Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "Win or lose, competitive sport teaches children important life lessons - in commitment, discipline and teamwork.

"Our new Olympic-style school sports competition will spark a revolution in school sport, and leave a lasting legacy from London's Games.

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"We want to involve as many schools and young people as possible, so that children of all abilities and ages are able to take part and strive to be the best that they can be."

A nationwide event has been earmarked for 2012.

Shadow Olympics minister Tessa Jowell said: "We welcome the fact that this announcement appears to build on the UK School Games, a well-established multi-sport competition that since 2006 has provided talented young sports people from the UK with the opportunity to compete in an event which replicates the feel of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

"But any commitment will ring pretty hollow if the Comprehensive Spending Review sees cuts in the widely acclaimed schools sports programmes, which will guarantee all children the opportunity to play five hours of sport per week, giving them the same opportunities to play sport that have long been provided in the independent sector."