KINDRED SPIRITS FROM PLAYGROUND TO PODIUM
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- Created on Tuesday, 16 March 2010 16:34
- Published on Tuesday, 16 March 2010 16:34
British Paralympic gold medallist Sascha Kindred OBE was in Plymouth today to help launch the new Playground to Podium programme.
Swimmer and inspirational speaker Kindred, 32, said: “It’s great to visit the Playground to Podium event in Plymouth today to see the young people taking part and enjoying a range of different sports.
"I hope by sharing some of my experiences of sport at the very top level during the day I can motivate and inspire them to perform to their very best ability.”
Today's assessment, held at the Brickfields Centre, is part of the national Playground to Podium programme helping to address the fact that only a quarter of 16-19 year olds with a disability play sport regularly, compared to a third of non-disabled youngsters.
The programme has been set up by Sport England, the Youth Sport Trust and ParalympicsGB to give disabled athletes the same sporting opportunities as their non-disabled counterparts and as a result, widen the talent pool for disability sport.
Active Devon, the county sports partnership for Devon, co-ordinated the Plymouth event.
Playground to Podium is not just helping the most talented athletes. Every young person entering the programme is being directed towards further sporting opportunities - be it club participation or further coaching - part of a lasting Paralympic participation legacy.
Young people participated in athletics, football, table tennis and wheelchair basketball with coaches from the relevant sports governing bodies on hand to provide expert guidance.
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