Wandsworth Wizards are spellbinding! - News - Wandsworth School Games

Wandsworth Wizards are spellbinding!

Wandsworth Wizards are spellbinding at the Central London School Games

On 1 July 2011, over 1,000 young athletes came together at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre to compete in the Central London School Games.  The event was organised by the Central London Local Organising Committee, chaired by Jackie Valin, Executive Headteacher at Southfields Community College and delivered in partnership with the London Youth Games Foundation.  Eight School Sport Partnerships and seven London Boroughs were represented by school teams that had qualified through SSP events earlier in the year. 

The Wandsworth Wizards were represented in each sport by the following schools:

Athletics – Ernest Bevin, Putney High and Linden Lodge School

Badminton – Southfields Community College and Putney High

Basketball – Battersea Park School

Boccia – Linden Lodge and Greenmead School

Cricket – Graveney School

Mini-Tennis – Earlsfield Primary School

Netball – Graveney School

Tri-Golf – Soutmead Primary School

Volleyball – Ernest Bevin and Graveney School

Despite facing serious competition from teams from the other SSP’s, the Wandsworth Wizards excelled in the competitions and showed exuberant team spirit throughout the day.  Not only were they supported by their team mates, Brandlehow Primary School were the Wandsworth Wizards Official Mascot School for the day and cheered the teams on across the site. 

The mascot programme was a great way to get primary schools more involved in the School Games this year, and Wandsworth schools applications were so strong that Belleville and Southmead Primary Schools also supported the Wizards all day.  They also got to take part in swimming and dance activities that were part of the School Games cultural programme.

Ernest Bevin College and Southfields Community College students performed dance routines throughout the day in the performance zones, showcasing their talents and entertaining the spectators on the day.

In addition to competing and being involved in the cultural programme, there were over 400 young volunteers on site making the event happen!  Wandsworth provided over 30 young volunteers from Battersea Park School, Chestnut Grove School, Graveney School, Putney High School and Southfields Community College.  The students from Graveney volunteered as Volleyball officials and were highly professional as umpires and line judges.  The other students were part of the event team or media team and played a very important role in ensuring the event went smoothly or the competitions were captured on camera & film!

Some young volunteers from Wandsworth have also been chosen to volunteer at the Volleyball Olympic test event in August as Young Games Makers.  Congratulations to those students and best of luck in this once in a lifetime opportunity.

After a fantastic day of competition in the sunshine, Wandsworth Wizards had done everything they could!  And it paid off!  Having finished 1st in six different sports the Wandsworth Wizards were crowned Central London School Games Championship Winners 2011.

A huge thank you to the athletes, team managers, volunteers, mascots, performers and those that have been involved in the build up to the event for making the team what it was.  Everyone came together to form an exceptional team, and it was most rewarding for the SSP team to see the teams enjoying themselves and getting involved.

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