A day to remember on a terrific Tuesday for Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week

By Tom Reynolds, Sportsbeat

THE NORTH-EAST took centre stage on Tuesday as 600 Newcastle school children joined Olympic silver medallist Gail Emms at Heaton Manor School for day two of Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week.

STAR PUPILS: Gail Emms and London 2012 mascot Wenlock drop in at Heaton Manor School for Lloyds TSB National School School Week

Former badminton star Emms joined Olympic mascot Wenlock to take part in the day designed to encourage the pupils to try and achieve a personal best in an Olympic or Paralympic sport - including long jump, shot putt, discuss, 400m and boccia. 

A prototype of the recently launched Olympic Torch also arrived at the school as the Newcastle youngsters were given an exclusive look at what will be a key part of next year's Games.

The Heaton Manor School event is just one of a host of activities taking place this week which will see four million youngsters across Britain involved in Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week - Britain's biggest school sport event.

And after trying her hand at events ranging from rowing to long jump, Emms - who claimed her Olympic silver at Athens in 2004 - was quick to label the day a resounding success.

"It was a manic day but one I really enjoyed," said Emms. "It was great to try out all the different sports but also to see the Olympic Torch."

And Emms' thoughts were echoed by Heaton Manor SSCO Chris Mason, who said: "Having the Olympic Torch stop by was a real treat and you could see from the excitement on the young people's faces that they are starting to really understand the importance of hosting the Games."

Elsewhere, double Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning swimmer Caitlin McClatchey was the star attraction as 100 youngsters from Leicester descended on Crown Hills Community College.

McClatchey was on hand for a question-and-answer session with the year ten students, from eight different schools, after they had taken part in a range of Olympic-themed activities including a dry triathlon.

Joining McClatchey as part of a star-studded cast was BMX trick artist Keelan Phillips and up-and-coming cyclist Lucy Garner, who is also part of the Lloyds TSB Local Hero scheme.

And Partnership Development Manager Dan Hewins, who helped organised the day, was delighted with how it went.

He said: "It was a fantastic and it was great to have Caitlin, Keelan and Lucy in attendance.

"We wanted the day to be about kids who don't regularly play sport so those in attendance were the semi-sporty ones as opposed to the usual and I think that is important when it comes to encouraging children to play sport." 

There was a heavyweight showing in King's Lynn as former Prizefighter champion Sam Sexton visited King Edward VII School as students made pledges about achieving ‘personal bests' during Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week.

Sexton, from Norwich, took the Year 9 pupils through a coaching session and said: "Boxing is a sport for everyone and it teaches you how to stay fit and it also gives you a bit of discipline as well.

"I never had the chance to do what these kids are doing this week and I think it is great."

And more than 160 children from ten different schools in Telford joined in the fun and games as they came together for a series of events that tested their agility, balance and co-ordination.

They took part in the Telford & Wrekin Youth Games with running, jumping and throwing featuring heavily while they also got into the spirit of Wimbledon with a tennis lesson.

Meanwhile in Southampton, Sholing Technology College's Year 9 pupils demonstrated great leadership as they helped Year 4's from three different schools through athletic events.

Not to be upstaged Bristol also got in on the act as over 250 schoolchildren took part in a Festival of Sport at Bristol University's Coombe Dingle Sports Complex.

They were joined by Athens 2004 Olympian, Matt Elias, as the children staged an Olympic-style opening ceremony, before attempting to achieve their personal best in a range of different Olympic and Paralympic sports - including athletics, cycling and judo. 

Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week uses the power of London 2012 to inspire children to try Olympic and Paralympic sports.  Your local school could carry the Olympic Flame in the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay or win tickets to London 2012 at: www.lloydstsb.com/nationalschoolsportweek

© Sportsbeat 2011

IN PICTURES: Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week