16.06.2006
DRAGON SPORT SWINGS PAST 100,000 MARK
As the FIRSTPLUS Wales Seniors Open swings into action at the Vale Hotel Golf & Spa Resort (16-18 June 2006), former Ryder Cup Captain Brian Huggett turned his attention to the next generation of golf pros as he helped Dragon Sport celebrate a very special landmark.
The Sports Council for Wales lottery funded scheme - which provides extra-curricular physical activity opportunities for primary school children - has recruited more than 100,000 participants since its launch in October 2000.
An impressive 102,743 children actively took part in the scheme last year, surpassing all expectations and underlining its status as the biggest ever recruitment drive in Welsh sport.
Golf is the latest in a long line of sports to be added to the now eight-strong Dragon Sport roster and golfing legend Huggett was today on hand to pass on some tee-off tips to the youngsters taking part in the Dragon Golf festival at the Vale.
And he was quick to commend the success of the scheme:
Dragon Sport is a fun way to get children into sport and I wholeheartedly congratulate it on its success. Its vital that we get Welsh children on their feet and taking part in physical activity for 60 minutes a day, five times a week.
Im delighted that Tri Golf has been added to the scheme. The future of golf in Wales looks very bright and we have talent emerging through the ranks at an impressive rate.
Through Dragon Sport, children are provided with the opportunity to learn those all important basic skills of various sports at an early age, under the supervision of trained Coordinators and volunteers.
Only by taking advantage of such sporting opportunities at an early age can we ensure that we can continue to hone the talents of the future.
Only three Welsh golfers have captained Ryder Cup teams - the late Dai Rees, current incumbent, Ian Woosnam, and Huggett in 1977. The latter is regarded as one of the most successful Welsh golfers of all time and was a leading member of the bidding team which spearheaded the submission to bring The Ryder Cup to Wales in 2010.
And as Wales looks forward to welcoming the event to Newports Celtic Manor resort in four years time, youngsters across the country are embracing the revolution in the junior golf game as the Dragon Sport programme teams up with Golf Development Wales to bring golf to the masses.
Chair of the Sports Council for Wales, Philip Carling is delighted with the impressive stats: These figures suggest that Dragon Sport has made a very significant contribution towards physical activity in primary schools. Participation in the programme has also helped schools to offer a wider range of activities, helped exceed targets and helped to shift attitudes.
The initiative has attracted the support of world-renowned athletes such as Colin Jackson, Tanni Grey-Thompson, Nicole Cooke and Gavin Henson, as The Sports Council for Wales and the Welsh Assembly Government drive to deliver more sport to primary school-age children.
One of the main aims of the scheme is to recruit and train volunteer sports organisers, leaders and coaches especially the real experts on children....parents and teachers.
As a result of the unprecedented success of the Dragon Sport scheme, the Sports Council for Wales is currently in the throws of developing a scheme designed to encourage secondary school children to get involved in extra-curricular activity. The Secondary School project - currently being piloted across eight schools across Wales - is expected to be rolled out in September 2006 with significant additional funding from the Welsh Assembly Government.
If you are in primary school and you want to find out more about Dragon Sport opportunities in your area, contact your Dragon Sport Coordinator at your local authority or check out www.dragonsport.co.uk
If you are in secondary school or older and would like to find out more about golf opportunities in your area, contact Golf Development Wales on 01633 43798 / www.golfdevelopmentwales.org
For further information, please contact Lynette Evans at the Sports Council for Wales on 029 2033 8273 / lynette.evans@scw.co.uk
