SCHOOLS from across the area recently participated in the fourth annual East Renfrewshire Secondary Games.

Initially launched as part of the legacy from the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, the event has gone from strength to strength with all seven secondary schools submitting teams.

Organised and led by the Community Sports and Active Schools teams at East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure Trust (ERCLT), six sports were on offer: basketball, lawn bowls, girls’ football, table tennis, rugby and hockey and over 350 pupils from S1-S3 competed.

After a colourful opening ceremony at The Foundry, Barrhead, teams made their way to their respective competition venues including Barrhead High School, St Ninian’s High School, Arthurlie Bowling Club and Whitecraigs Rugby Club.

Following some highly entertaining matches and some friendly but fierce action across the whole day, medals were presented to first, second and third placed teams in each sport before all schools returned to the Foundry for the closing ceremony and the crowning of the overall Secondary Games champions for 2017, Williamwood High School, who narrowly pipped St Ninian’s for the top spot.

Particular mention is worthy for the lawn bowls team from St Luke’s High who won gold with some scintillating play on the rink.

Through this competition, several teams also qualified to represent East Renfrewshire at the West Central Scotland Games where teams from Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and North Ayrshire provide the opposition.

For some of the S3 pupils, they have now competed in the event 3 three times and it was particularly evident that they wanted to go out with a bang, trying to earn themselves and their schools a medal and overall victory.

Barry Cook, Active Schools team leader, said: “My congratulations go to all of the participants for their efforts and a big thanks to all our sports club partners, ERCLT staff and school staff who made the event so successful.”

For more information or to find out more about what sports opportunities the ERCLT Sports Development team offer, click here.