School games are up and running with a bang

Secondary schools from all corners of Shropshire picked up trophies in the first round of the county finals for the new academic year.

Shrewsbury Sports Village, The Shrewsbury Club and Sundorne Sports Hall provided the venues with a total of 370 young people taking part. Cross country, dodgeball, table tennis, volleyball and mini-tennis titles were all up for grabs.

The School Games county finals are organised by county sports partnership Energize, with teams representing one of six areas – two from Telford, plus North Shropshire, South Shropshire, East Shropshire, and Shrewsbury.

The competition is split into a series of mini-festivals which are held at venues across the county over the course of the year, each showcasing a different selection of sports and activities.

The first instalment of action saw North Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Burton Borough and East Shropshire all claim double successes.

In the cross country, North Shropshire triumphed in the years seven and year eight boys’ events.

Telford & Wrekin Burton Borough doubled up in the years seven and nine girls’ competition while East Shropshire also took home two trophies after coming out on top in the year eight girls, and year nine boys.

Bishop’s Castle Community College won the key stage four boys’ dodgeball competition ahead of Charlton School in second, but the result was reversed in the key stage four girls’ finals, where Charlton topped the pile.

The day’s other winners were Oldbury Wells of Bridgnorth for key stage three sportsability mini tennis, Meole Brace of Shrewsbury in key stage three boys’ table tennis, and Oswestry School in key stage four volleyball.

The event kicked off with a motivational talk from Diane Carrington of Shrewsbury, part of the team which rowed across the Atlantic in a record-breaking adventure last year.

Harry Cade, engagement manager for education and families at Energize, was delighted with the start to the Games.

“The event kicked off our 2018-19 secondary school finals in fine style,” he said.

“We had 65 teams, from 23 different schools, taking part, and it was great to see the trophies being spread all around all parts of the county.”

Wrekin College will be hosting the next round of secondary school finals on March 21, including hockey, netball, rugby, and sportshall athletics.

Lacon Childe School in Cleobury Mortimer will also be hosting a secondary schools mini-festival later in 2019, and there will be a finals day for primary schools in Shrewsbury on March 5.