Sport Wales’ primary school programme, Dragon Sport, is celebrating ten years of helping children in Wales get hooked on sport for life, and Neath Port Talbot is joining in the party.
For the last 10 years Dragon Sport has been blazing a trail in providing fun and exciting sports activities for 7-11 year olds. The lottery funded scheme – delivered by schools and dedicated Dragon Sport Coordinators from Neath Port Talbot – has fired up scores of Welsh youngsters to dive into a range of sports which include Athletics, Golf, Cricket, Tennis, Hockey, Netball, Rugby and Football both inside and out of school. Dragon Sport is designed to offer 7-11 year olds fun and appropriate sporting opportunities.
Mynachlog Nedd Junior School, Brynhyfryd Primary School, Clun Primary School, Alderman Davies Primary School, Tonnau Primary Community School, Waunceirch Primary School and YGG Castell Nedd were the 1st 7 schools to take part in the Dragon Sport and the success over the years has seen pupils enjoy and thrive through sport.
Mynachlog Nedd Junior School was the first school in Neath Port Talbot to run Dragon Sport 10 years ago. They began by running netball and hockey clubs, with 31 children attending. They now run a selection of 7 sports through the year, with over 80 children attending regularly. In February they will be the first to celebrate the past 10 years in style, with a fun filled day of a variety of the Dragon Sports, culminating in a birthday party for Draig the Dragon Sport mascot.
Ali Thomas, Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council said:
“Dragon Sport has gone from strength to strength in Neath Port Talbot over the last 10 years, and we have seen a number of children continue their participation through 5×60, the comprehensive school extra curricular physical activity programme, and some have even gone on to represent Wales in their chosen sports. We are thrilled to be celebrating Dragon Sport’ 10th birthday with a series of events at the first 7 Dragon Sport primary schools across Neath Port Talbot.”
Some of Dragon’s hottest achievements have included:
- In 2002, 58% of pupils took part regularly (once a week or more often) in extracurricular activity. When last measured in 2009, this had increased to 69% . This means over 115,000 children aged 7-11 in Wales are taking part.
- In 2009/10 Welsh children were lacing up their trainers to take part in Dragon Sport activities nearly 180,000 times compared to just over 12,000 times in 2000/01.
- Dragon Sport Coordinators delivered more than 66,000 sessions across the country in 2009/10 – a huge increase from the 2,000 sessions in its first year.
- Extracurricular football scores a big hit with girls, with 78% of schools in Wales now serving it up compared to ten years ago when it was 57% .
- While 64% of schools now provide extracurricular netball for boys who want to shoot hoops, compared to 45% a decade ago.
- Extracurricular rugby and cricket for girls have also boomed, rising from 40% to 63% and 29% to 48% respectively.
Chair of Sport Wales, Professor Laura McAllister said:
“Dragon Sport has increased participation and interest in sport amongst children, aged 7-11, particularly among children who might not otherwise engage in extracurricular sport and amongst girls. It has also been a great stepping stone for producing well rounded athletes, such as Team Wales table tennis players Megan and Angharad Phillips. We want Dragon Sport to keep on growing in its ability to empower every child and young person in Wales to be physically confident, with the basic skills from an early age to be able to participate in a variety of sports.”
