Project Ability Paralympic Day at Southfields - News - Wandsworth School Games

Project Ability Paralympic Day at Southfields

50 young disabled students from across London took part in the first ever Project Ability Paralympic event held at Southfields Academy on 16th November 2012. The event was run as part of Project Ability; a National Programme managed by the Youth Sport Trust and run locally by Southfields Academy & Linden Lodge School, with the aim of providing more competitive opportunities for Young SEND students in Central London.

Building of the fantastic success of the London Paralympics, the students from Oak Lodge, Southfields, Garratt Park & Paddock from Wandsworth, plus, Queen Elizabeth II School from Westminster & Samuel Rhodes School in Islington were able to compete in three Paralympics sports; Goalball, Sitting Volleyball & Wheelchair basketball. 

Kathryn Fielding Goalball UK provided the opportunity for the students to participate in the Goalball event. Ruth Eytle from British Wheelchair Basketball, supported by sports leaders from the Battersea Park School Basketball Academy led sessions in the really exciting sport of Wheelchair basketball and the Southfields Volleyball squad led fantastic sessions introducing sitting volleyball to the young people.

The event was a great success, Renee Huchinson from Southfields Hearing Impaired Unit said,

“Thank you so much for organising this event. It was fantastic. The students had a 'brilliant time' (direct quote from one of our year 8 students) and it was lovely to see them communicating and working with students from other schools. This event has greatly supported the work that we are undertaking on the social use of language in the HIU”.

Holly Black, Head of PE at Oak Lodge said, “the pupils from our school loved the event. The coaches & sports leaders that assisted on the day were extremely professional and the pace of the activities was perfect.The event was extremely well organised”.

Ruth Eytle from British Wheelchair Basketball, “The day was extremely successful with fantastic feedback from participants and teachers. We would like to build on the momentum to develop the sport of Wheelchair Basketball in Wandsworth”.

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