Sporting heroes are set to inspire pupils
Published 7 Feb 2012 09:30
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RUGBY star John Barclay is set to become a Sports Champion in Barrhead High School, while Scotland hockey ace William Marshall joins pupils at St Luke's High.
They're among a group of elite Scottish Sporting Champions who are taking part in a unique programme to help pupils in East Renfrewshire schools develop self confidence and learn to set and achieve goals.
Champions in Schools is being rolled out across East Renfrewshire Council's secondary schools in partnership with the Winning Scotland Foundation.
The programme will see seven Sporting Champions delivering motivational workshops with small groups of pupils from S1/2.
The workshops are designed to be fun and engaging with sports, discussions and multimedia presentations.
Schools will be encouraged to develop longer term relationships with the individual champion - and pupils will follow the progress of their Sporting Champion in the lead up to major events and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 2014.
Education director John Wilson said the objective of the programme is to increase pupil enjoyment of sport, develop a positive winning attitude, appreciate the value of effort and hard work, and understand the benefits of a healthy diet and Lifestyle.
Winning Scotland Foundation, launched in 2006, was inspired by Sir Bill Gammell, Chairman of Cairn Energy PLC and former Scotland rugby internationalist.
It believes that taking part in sport is the ideal way to give young people skills they can use across their whole lives.
The scheme follows a highly successful pilot which was held in East Renfrewshire Schools called Positive Coaching Scotland.
This helped to create a more positive grass roots sporting environment for children and young people in East Renfrewshire and has been adopted by a large number of our most successful local sports clubs. Education Convenor, Councillor Alan Lafferty said: "Like Sporting Champions, East Renfrewshire's schools strive to be the best in their field.
"We have the best schools in Scotland but never take this for granted and are always working to improve them.
"If pupils adopt the techniques which these champions' use they will work harder at school, do better in exams and do well in
life."
Other Champions taking part in the scheme in East Ren schools include top athlete Lee McConnell, badminton ace Susan Egelstaff and equestrian star Joanne Eccles.
This article appeared in Barrhead News 03 Feb 12
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