Aiming high as Shropshire youngsters join in School Sports Festival

School pupils from south, east, and north Shropshire as well as Telford and Shrewsbury came together at Shrewsbury Sports Village yesterday.

Each student competed in different events at the Shropshire Homes-sponsored School Sports Festival organised by Energize Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin.

Jake Jones, active lives officer at Energize Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, said more than 400 pupils took part.

"We want to encourage kids to get more active and increase participation in sports," he said.

School Sports Festival is one of the largest competitions of its kind for young people in Shropshire, bringing together schools in each area to take part in new and exciting team sports.

The competition takes place annually with schools from across the county taking part.

Mr Jones said: "It has been a really good day and everything has gone smoothly.

"The kids have been excited and have enjoyed it. It is to encourage them to get active and encourage participation in all sports."

Rearranged

Children took part in activities like basketball, netball, hockey, sports hall athletics and gymnastics.

Two events, tag rugby and cross country, were cancelled due to the wet weather but are due to be rearranged.

The festival also held events for children with minor and severe learning difficulties and disabilities so they were able to take part as well.

"There were more than 400 children taking part in the festival but we do normally have around 700 but the other two events were cancelled," Jake said.

"We have six areas competing; Shrewsbury, north Shropshire, south Shropshire, Randlay, Burton Borough and east Shropshire. Today is the county finals.

"Each area runs competitions beforehand and the top team competing is sent to the finals. At the end of each event if you come first you get six points if you come last you get one point.

"So the area with the most points overall at the end of the events wins. We are not announcing the winner until the results of the postponed games come in."

Shropshire Homes sponsored the event and Energize organised it with ten members of staff on-hand at the festival to help co-ordinate events.

Just some of the schools competing were Castlefields Primary School, Harlescott Junior, Ludlow Primary School, Shifnal Primary School and Longlands Primary School.