Pupils from Trallwn Primary rounded off their involvement in this year’s Ospreys Schools Progamme with a trip to the Liberty Stadium and a classroom Q&A with Sam Davies and Tyler Ardron.
Since its inception in September 2012 thousands of year 5 & 6 pupils have participated in the scheme which sees them take part in many activities using the Ospreys as an aid to learning, with more than 2,000 going through the programme during the current academic year alone.
Created in conjunction with the three local authorities in Ospreylia and supported by RWE npower renewables, Sony UK Technology Centre, Save Britain Money, Network Rail and assisted by the WRU, the programme sees participating pupils in Years 5 and 6 enjoy a six week academic programme using rugby as a tool for learning.
As well as promoting the importance of physical activity and interpersonal and communication skills, the programme also places an emphasis on developing literacy and numeracy skills.
Issues and topics covered include personal welfare and self esteem, the benefits of teamwork and cooperation, collective global environmental responsibility and online safety, as well as promoting a healthy active lifestyle and, of course, rugby, with a six week development programme delivered by WRU development staff. The most recent addition to the programme is a session on railway safety.
The youngsters also get a chance to visit the Sony UK Technology Centre in Pencoed and the Liberty Stadium as well as hosting Ospreys players at their school for a question and answer session.
Trallwn Primary School have been enthusiastically participating with the scheme and recently, coinciding with their Sports Week, the pupils welcomed Sam and Tyler to their school as well as visiting the Liberty Stadium for a behind the scenes interactive tour.
Pupils started their school day with a chance to quiz Sam and Tyler on what it was like to be a professional sportsman, how hard they have to work in training and what they eat to stay healthy. Participation Officer Tom Sloane, who led the session, then laid down the challenge he sets to all the players on school visits. Sam and Tyler were given a one minute to pass a ball between them as many times as they could, the record currently being 71 passes set last season. The two Ospreys rose to the challenge and received a huge round of applause as they smashed the record with 82 completed passes.
A week after the Ospreys visited them, it was the school’s turn to visit the Ospreys as they enjoyed their stadium tour, where the pupils had an opportunity to see behind the scenes, visiting areas of the stadium normally off limits to the public.
While learning facts about the region and filling out their specially designed work books at the varying "trail stops", the children also had a chance to put themselves into a players shoes as they imagined the atmosphere in the changing room before a big match, the sights and sounds they would hear and how they would feel running down the tunnel onto the pitch in front of all of the fans.
The pupils also took part in a post match press conference and an energy workshop designed by our partners at RWE npower renewablesm looking at what are renewable energy sources and how we can all help to lessen our impact on the environment by doing simple things like recycling.
Participation Officer Tom Sloane praised Trallwn’s involvement in the programme, saying:
“The school has really got involved in the initiative and the staff have used the Ospreys really well as an aid to teaching the students about many different subjects. Everyone has been really enthusiastic about taking part in the rugby sessions and it's great to be able to help the school celebrate their sports week by both bringing in the Ospreys players for a Q&A and also having them look behind the scenes at the Ospreys by visiting the Liberty.”