PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: TOMORROW Thursday (July 20), between 10.50am - 12noon, Butchart Recreation Centre, University Road, Old Aberdeen
Kids from across Aberdeen are being given the chance to be healthy and active over the summer holidays as the University of Aberdeen runs its popular Children’s Sports School.
The packed programme of events, organised by the University’s Sport and Recreation Services, kicked off on July 3 and will run over the duration of the school holidays at the University’s sports facilities at King’s College.
The line-up of activities includes trampolining, swimming, tennis, vollyeball and basketball. The children, all aged from five to 14-years-old, also have the chance to play rugby and football and get involved in athletics.
This summer Aberdeen Football Club has also lent its support to the Children’s Sports School. Lenny Taylor, Head of the AFC Youth Academy, has been conducting soccer coaching sessions with his last session taking place tomorrow (Thursday, July 20) from 10.50am – 12.00pm.
And this year for the first time, the Children’s Sports School offered two free places each to five local schools. The children were selected by the schools and will be attending the sessions throughout the summer. The schools include: Causewayend Primary, Donbank Primary, Kittybrewster Primary, Sunnybank Primary and St Machar Academy.
David Beattie, Director of Sports Development at the University of Aberdeen, said the Children’s Sports School offers the ideal opportunity for children to take part in a wide range of sports. He said: “Being healthy, active and fit is an increasingly important part of the future for our children. We are delighted to be offering free places to local school children, which demonstrates the University’s commitment to increasing sports participation in the local community.
“The rising numbers of children taking part in our Sports Schools in both Easter and summer, shows that the kids love the range of activities we offer. They get the chance to participate in sports they’ve never tried before and to meet loads of new friends.”
Jan Griffiths, Sports Development Manager, Sport and Recreation Services, said by offering free places to local schools the University hoped to forge even stronger links with the local community. She said: “The University has long established Easter and Summer Sports Schools and by linking up with local schools we hope to create a greater collaborative approach involving schools to enhance sports provision for children.”
The University of Aberdeen provides a comprehensive range of sports and exercise facilities at its King’s College campus and at its satellite sites. The University is actively working with the City Council and sportscotland to develop new sporting facilities of a national standard in Aberdeen. The University is home to the Grampian Institute of Sport, providing specialist coaching to elite sportsmen and women and up and coming stars in Grampian.
To find out more about Sport and Recreation at the University of Aberdeen, log on to: www.abdn.ac.uk/sportandrec