With only 1 week to go until the Norfolk School Games Finals, we are gearing up for one of our most exciting week of events this year.
The School Games initiative is to offer all young children a chance to take part in sport competitively at their level. The Winter School Games Finals will take place from the 26th February-2nd March at various sporting venues across Norfolk. Young people from primary and secondary schools all over the county have been trying their best at different sports to qualify for the finals next week. With over 50 competitions having taken place so far across all 8 school sports partnerships (SSPs), here are some highlights from the fantastic level 2 events.
At the beginning of the academic year, October saw unusually warm conditions for the girls’ football tournament. An impressive 150 girls played football to represent their SSP from South Norfolk schools and later in November, 160 in West Norwich and Dereham schools! All teams played to a high standard but the teams who will play in the finals for West Norwich and Dereham are Swanton Morley Junior, Firside Junior, and St Augustine’s whilst Attleborough Primary won both year group events for Breckland. They will play the top 2 schools in each competition from the other SSPs at Goals on the 2nd March. We look forward to seeing the other teams battle it out to win the trophy on the 1st March.
Cross country competitions, which always has a big turn-out, took place across the year too. Over 600 pupils from schools in Norwich alone ran in November for a chance to represent their SSP. With the usual tricky course conditions and weather to contend with, these weren’t easy races. The top 10 boys and 10 girls from each race will now run in the finals in the beautiful surroundings of Holkham Hall. Hopefully they’ll be less snow than last year’s final!
The sportshall competitions, which always draws lots of excitement from spectators, saw hundreds of primary school children from across the county take part in this event. Schools from East Norfolk and Norwich East ran, jumped and threw themselves into different activities in January this year, to try and score the highest number of points overall. The final results meant that Woodlands Primary and Woodside will represent East Norfolk on the opening day of the finals.
The recent keysteps gymnastics competition in West Norfolk saw 15 schools complete floor routines as well as vault which was judged in order for the schools to secure a place in the finals on the 26th February. Well done to South Wootton Infant, West Lynn and Terrington St Clements who will all compete on that day.
The School Games week will also see a range of inclusive activities for young people with a special educational need or disability (SEND). New for 2018, Panathlon, a multi-sport competition, will kick off the week with participants being able to represent their team in either boccia, table cricket, polybat or kurling as well as athletics. There will also be a Special School Games taking place at Sportspark on the 1st March.
With 8 competitions, 15 different sports and over 1000 children representing their school sports partnership, it promises to be an exciting and busy week!
Results and photos will be posted on our news page but don’t forget to send us your photos or messages via our twitter page @NorfolkSchGames or Facebook page.
