Ospreys in the Community has teamed up with Swansea AFC Community Trust to help launch a new scheme that delivers a range of sports coaching to girls aged between 9-11 years of age.
Girls 4 Sport is an exciting initiative launched this month, led by the Swans’ community arm with support coming not only from Ospreys in the Community but, also, from the Welsh Football Trust, Welsh Netball, Hockey Wales, Gower College Swansea and Active Swansea.
The project will focus on giving girls an opportunity to experience four key sports, football, rugby, hockey and netball.
Tom Sloane and Welsh international Shona Powell-Hughes represented Ospreys in the Community at the Liberty Stadium launch of Girls 4 Sport, where they were joined by Lee Trundle and Lukasz Fabianksi from Swansea City, Swans’ Ladies Club captain, Alicia Powe and Welsh Netball athlete, Leah Harvey who plays for Wales’ U17 side, as well as local school girls from Gowerton Primary.
“It’s great to officially launch Girls 4 Sport Swansea and to have not just representatives from the Club present, but also the Ospreys and Welsh netball present,” said the project’s Co-ordinator, Tom Williams.
“Sport plays a significant part in the lives of all youngsters, no matter if they are boys or girls, and we’re delighted to get the scheme off the ground and to hopefully inspire the next generation of female sports stars in Wales, whether they play hockey, netball, rugby or football,” he continued.
Paul Whapham of Ospreys in the Community said:
“We are delighted to play a part in this exciting new initiative. Sport and physical education is as important part of a child’s development but the decline in physical activity amongst youngsters is well documented, while encouraging girls to take up sport offers different challenges to boys.
“Ospreys in the Community is about opening doors and providing opportunities to everybody, using the power of the Ospreys brand, and sport in general to empower people of all ages to make positive life choices.
“Hopefully, Girls 4 Sport will encourage young girls to discover a sport they enjoy and want to participate in. It’s not just about promoting rugby, it’s about getting people active and participating regularly in sport, be that rugby, football, hockey or netball, or maybe using this project as a starting point onto other sports once they catch the ‘active lifestyle’ bug.”
Girls 4 Sport Swansea will consist of weekly sessions every Saturday, commencing on 17th October, at the Elba Sports Complex in Gowerton, before aiming to expand to four sites around Swansea.
These will be grouped into blocks of 10 weeks and participants will be able to experience each of the four sports in every session.
If you are interested in booking a space, here’s all the details you’ll need:
• Cost: £20 for ten weeks (Pre-booking only)
• Start date: October 17th at Elba Sports Complex
• Bookings can be made through Penyrheol Leisure Centre – 01792 897039