Last year we trained over 250 Young Leaders in London in the Panathlon disability sports and this then enabled them to gain over 2,500 practical hours of experience in officiating. We will once again be training hundreds of young Leaders in the coming weeks and months in the theories of disability sport coaching, in 10 different locations. Our programme of 18 multi-sport competitions in 2014 will then provide thousands of hours of practical hands on experience for these young leaders. They can put their theory in to practice and demonstrate their skills in a variety of sports and real life sporting situations. Last years feedback from all who were involved was incredibly positive and we look forward once again to this area of inspiring work.
The Jack Petchey Panathlon Officials Training program kicked off yesterday in Featherstone High School in Ealing, with 16 students attending the leaders training. These Young Leaders will help to officiate at the West London competition to be held on the 7th February. The Leaders are studying for their Level 3 Sports Leaders program and the Panathlon Sports Course will help them achieve this.
The group have had limited experience in officiating sports before, or working with young disabled people, but after the course they felt much more confident. Like previous Leaders Groups we are confident they will excel come the competition in February. Over the next 4 weeks Panathlon will be visiting 9 other schools to train their leaders for the competition programme in the New Year.
