Rochdale school children set to take part in the Greater Manchester School Games

Over 2,000 young people will be taking part in the 2019 Greater Manchester Summer School Games on Wednesday 26 June. The event will see primary and secondary schools from the 10 local boroughs compete against each other in their sport to become Greater Manchester School Champions.

The Greater Manchester School Games is now in its eighth year and its 17th festival and is one of the largest School Games events in the country; with 21 competitions in 13 sports and activities. Sports include ultimate frisbee, a new sport this year, goalball, rounders and many others, all taking place across eight iconic sporting venues in Greater Manchester, including the National Cycling Centre and Regional Athletics Arena

This event aims to provide opportunities for all children, regardless of their ability or confidence, to be able to participate in a mass sporting event. Some competitions will be scored by the participants’ peers using Spirit Score Cards which are based on the School Games values; passion, honesty, respect, teamwork, determination and self-belief which are essential values not just in sport, but in life.

This system reinforces the shifting focus from traditional competitive sport to a more inclusive event for students of all abilities to compete on a level playing field. This will help more children to feel the benefits of physical activity, as at present 6 in 10 children in Greater Manchester are not active enough to positively affect their health.

The schools representing Rochdale are:

• All Souls CE Primary School - Football Under 10
• Broadfield Community Primary School - Participation Festival Yr 1/2
• Cardinal Langley RC High School - Football Under 13
• Hollingworth Academy - Dodgeball Yr 7/8 boys
• Hopwood Community Primary School- Handball Yr 3/4
• Middleton Parish Primary School - Netball Yr 5/6
• Newman RC College - Quadkids Yr 7/8
• Rochdale Borough team - Goalball Yr 6/7/8
• Rochdale Borough team - Goalball Yr 9/10/11
• Rochdale Borough team - Golf KS2
• Rochdale Borough team - New Age Kurling Yr 5/6
• Rochdale Borough team - New Age Kurling Yr 7/8/9
• St Joseph's RC Primary School- Netball Yr 5/6
• St Vincent's Primary School- Football Under 10
• Wardle Academy - Football Under 13

Further competitions are still to take place so more entries are expected.

The children will get to experience an opening ceremony, hosted by MC Paul Sleem, at the Manchester Regional Arena. Before the official opening, children, teachers and spectators will be able to take part in The Daily Mile as Greater Manchester strives to become the World’s First Daily Mile city region. Performances at the ceremony include;

• RPM Bike Display – a bike trials display team who are performing at Glastonbury Festival 2019
• Circus House – stilt walkers and jugglers
• Drumz Aloud – an energizing and exhilarating drum based activity combining music and physical activity

The School Games Organisers across Greater Manchester have organised local competitions with more than 218,000 children having taken part in this academic year so far with many more competitions to come.

Sara Tomkins CEO at GreaterSport said: “The Greater Manchester School Games is a key fixture in the sporting calendar for schools across the region and one that we want as many children as possible to be able to experience. Being physically active is essential to help our future generations be happier and healthier and our aim is for more children to be involved in the School Games and experience the joy of movement!”

The event is organised by GreaterSport on behalf of the Local Organising Committee, with over 200 young volunteers from across Greater Manchester Schools and colleges supporting the delivery of the event.

For schools who are taking part, a full list of sports, competitions, venues and more information on the event please visit: 

• www.greatersport.co.uk/schoolgames