A week-long celebration event has kicked off to mark the end of Shropshire’s ‘virtual’ primary school games – which have been a great success.
The six-week event, organised by Shrewsbury-based active partnership Energize, challenged youngsters to demonstrate their dodgeball, athletics, new-age kurling, boccia and cricket skills.
Throughout this week, there are a series of online events planned as the winners are announced, culminating in a closing ceremony, and the release of a highlights compilation video.
The week of celebrations kicked off with an opening ceremony, featuring a series of ‘School Games Has Got Talent’ performers.
They included eight-year-old dancer Esmay Jones from The Old Hall school, plus Sophie and Ella Brimley from Stoke-on-Tern.
The winners of the six challenges will be unveiled on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and there will also be special ‘judges’ choice’ awards for each category, based on the child best demonstrating the school games values: Teamwork, Determination, Honesty, Passion, Self-belief and Respect.
The ‘virtual’ version of the Shropshire Homes School Sport Festival was adapted for the Covid-19 lockdown in place of the usual summer sports festival, which would have involved up to 1,000 youngsters.
Instead, children were asked to submit photographs or videos of them performing the specially adapted home-based challenges.
Young Shropshire athletics star Dani Hales has recorded video demonstrations of each challenge.
The week of celebrations can be followed on the Energize website, www.energizestw.org.uk, or its social media channels including @energizestw on Twitter and Facebook.
Jake Jones, Energize’s active lives officer, said: “The idea of the virtual games has been to create fun activities and competition for those in school and at home . . . while helping teachers and families to keep children active, and connected with their schools.
“We’re have been delighted with engagement levels, and have received some fabulous feedback from parents and schools.”
