Background:
Flintshire Festival of Youth Sport is the biggest event running in Wales. It happens once a year and is a mass participation event getting young people involved in sport and physical activity throughout the county. This year was its 6th year of running, Cheerleading has been one of the sports for the last 4 years!
Each year we run courses though UKCA and advertise them through schools and coaches, we fund their course costs in hoping that they will deliver coaching sessions in return to enter the competition on the day of the festival.
This year:
UKCA Level 2 Basic Skills course ran on 24th November 2011.
Attended: 7 Teachers and 4 Coaches
17 primary schools, 4 secondary schools and 2 special schools chose Cheerleading as a sport that they would like to take part in this year.
The new qualified teachers coached their own schools and new coaches and previous coaches qualified from the past years coached other schools. Teachers/coaches were mentored by myself leading up to the festival.
Over 300 children across all 23 schools took part in the coaching sessions that ran 1session per week from January leading up to the Festival.
280 cheerleaders took part and competed on the day of the festival.
What happened next:
All schools were given information of the opportunity to enter the UKCA Spring Championships in June. So far 2 primary schools and 2 secondary schools have decided to enter.
Cheerleading sessions are continuing in some primary schools by popular demand! All secondary schools from the festival are continuing in extra curricular cheerleading sessions. With other schools starting cheerleading.
2 new Community Clubs have started following the festival. There are now 4 Community Clubs running in Flintshire. (One club are competing for their 4th year in the Nationals next week!)
Children and young people are attending community clubs following their involvement in the festival.
2 coaches are attending the Level 3 Basic Stunts course in May in hoping to develop their club and schools.
