Inspire a generation. It’s been the phrase of the British summer, and whilst it might have sounded like corporate jargon a few months ago, there have been enough appearances from the likes of Dave, Boris and Seb on the TV recently to give us all a pretty strong idea about what the message means. The aim is to inspire kids to get into sport. Some may become future sporting champions, but at the very least if we can inspire them to live active and healthy lifestyles, that will be of great benefit to the country. The direct cost of physical inactivity to the NHS is over £1 billion per year, with estimates of the indirect costs in excess of £8 billion. It’s therefore in everyone’s interest to get kids active and keep them active, so that over time those costs come down. The question is, what can YOU do to help?
We couldn’t really have asked for more in terms of staging the Olympics. Brilliant venues were built, they were filled with enthusiastic crowds that got behind all of the athletes, not just the British ones, and those factors definitely contributed to the sheer volume of memorable performances we witnessed. World records were smashed in so many sports, and of course it helps that Team GB and Paralympics GB put in incredible performances. Alongside Wiggins’ victory in the Tour de France and Murray’s victory at the U.S. Open, if this summer hasn’t inspired British kids to take up sport, nothing will.
Clearly here parents have a huge role to play. They are ultimately the ones who have to give up the most time and money to allow their children to play sport, so it is important that they appreciate the value of doing so. But even those of you who, like myself, are currently without children have a huge role to play. Here’s just a few of the ways that you can inspire a generation.
Set up a club
Without wanting to blow my own trumpet too much, this is vital. In Britain we are well served in terms of clubs in a number of sports – football, rugby, cricket, athletics, swimming – but beyond that the distribution of clubs is somewhat more sparse. If, for example, there was a volleyball club more-or-less on a child’s doorstep, they’re probably fairly likely to give the sport a go. If the nearest club is 50 miles away, not so much. Some clubs are expensive to establish and run, but a lot are easier and cheaper than you might think. National Governing Bodies will often provide grants for equipment, and you may well find that you are able to share resources with another club in the area.
Volunteer at a club
I appreciate that setting up a new club is probably more than most people would be willing to do, but even if you don’t go that far, you can still play a big role as a provider of sport. Clubs need volunteers to do a variety of different tasks, from roles like secretary or treasurer to playing a role in spreading the message of the club to relevant groups. You might get involved to create a viral video to create a buzz about the club, or utilise some contacts to bring in sponsorship to pay for some new kit. Basically whatever your skills, you can use them to help a local club become a successful one.
Become a coach
If you’ve got the skills and the passion, this is possibly the most significant way you can help to inspire a generation. Quality coaching makes a huge difference, especially at a young age when people can improve at a rapid rate, and even in the most popular sports like football we still don’t have enough qualified coaches at junior levels. And if you look at the British success in a sport like cycling, you can see the value of quality coaching, and its coloured gold.
Volunteer with a sporting organisation
It’s not just clubs that rely heavily on volunteers. National sporting organisations need them too, especially when it comes to putting on events. Whether it’s taking the personal details of the competitors or acting as a route marshal, there are many different roles which, if it wasn’t for volunteers, the events themselves would either be not economically viable or a shambles in terms of organisation.
Join a club as a player
My final tip might not sound as if you’re ‘Inspiring a Generation,’ but stick with me. Community clubs rely heavily on getting numbers through the door. The more members a club has, the more money they will have available to invest in things like facilities, equipment, and at a higher level coaching, and these are things that will benefit the entire club, not just the adult teams. Therefore if a club has a thriving adult membership, it makes it far easier for them to provide quality sessions for junior teams. So, if you join a new team, you too are playing your part in inspiring a generation.
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