Like just about everyone else, I watched more different sports during the Olympics than ever before. I was astonished at the technical proficiency of the athletes, even when I had no idea of what was happening – both fencing and sailing mystified me. I felt the emotional surge as Team GB won medals or were disappointed. The inevitable truth, though, is that for every winner, there are more than a few runners-up. And the margins between gold and also-ran are tiny. The reality is that every single athlete deserved praise. Regardless of their finishing position, they have all demonstrated the highest levels of personal commitment, emotional resilience and technical competence.
That brings us to “legacy”. There will be a trickle-down as Olympic success leads to public interest and greater participation. But the purpose of increased participation from primary school onwards is not simply to develop a pool of elite athletes. It is to promote physical exercise as an enjoyable activity for important social and health reasons.
Not all young people will become elite athletes, but all can benefit. As a runner, I was never close to competitive – a lifetime best at 10km of 43 minutes and 54 seconds – but I enjoyed my running, both in training and in competition. ?So the debate about school sport is not just about developing elite skills, but also about helping young people find a sport that they enjoy and will carry into adult life.
Frankly, I deplored the early coalition decisions to cut school sports partnerships and to abandon the curriculum time target of two hours a week. People with the right skills and training need to spend time organising inter-school leagues and delivering outreach into primary schools. Voluntary support just will not fill the gap. We need consistent systems for this, although local clubs have a part to play. The government must accept this need. However, my worry is that it will opt to invest not in existing expertise in local authorities or groups of primary and secondary schools, but through a national contract with the likes of G4S or A4E – surely a recipe for chaos.
John Freeman CBE is a former director of children’s services and is now a freelance consultant. Read his blog at cypnow.?co.uk/freemansthinking.
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