Worksop: Olympic legacy lives on at SAND sports club

While the world’s elite athletes recover from competing at the Olympic Stadium in the London Anniversary Games, grassroots sport in Bassetlaw is being boosted by free disability sports taster sessions.

The events at Worksop College and Outwood Academy Valley were part of a series which gives young people to chance to get active and try new sports.

The first session introduced Wheelchair Basketball and the skills involved, while on 6th August children had the opportunity to hone their precision with target sports Boccia and New Age Kurling.

Boccia is a game similar to bowls. Great Britain’s won one individual silver medal and a team bronze at London 2012.

New Age Kurling takes the game of Curling indoors, using ball bearings to allow the stones.

The sessions were run by the SAND sports club - See the Ability Not the Disability - and are part of Bassetlaw District Council’s ‘Your Sport, your Town’ series of events, recently renamed from ‘Road to Rio.’

For some of the youngsters involved, taster sessions like these may lead to an Olympic dream being realised in years to come, but the focus of the club is on inclusivity and not individual achievement.

Organiser and Council Sport Development Officer Sian Kirk said: “SAND is all about getting children with disabilities involved in sport, to show they can enjoy themselves and live healthy lifestyles.”

“Boccia is a game that everyone can get involved with, which is great as there’s so much diversity in the group, and it’s good to see so many getting involved.”

“We want to focus on what people can do rather than what they can’t, and sport is a great place to start.”

SAND run sessions every Monday in term time from 6-7pm at Worksop College, and Play with a Purpose swimming lessons at Bircotes Leisure Centre on Thursday evenings in term time from 6–7.30pm

For more information, contact Sian Kirk on 01909 534489 or visit tinyurl.com/sandsworksop.