Community sports clubs from across the south of the Island have come together to provide a day of sports for Year 7 students at Castle Rushen High School.

The sports day is designed to inspire students to join in with sport and lead healthy active lives. Approximately 70 students participated in six different sports delivered by coaches from local community sports clubs.

Included in the programme were:

• Judo – Isle of Man (Southern) Judo Club
• Badminton – Castletown Abbey and Rushen Hot Shots badminton clubs
• Rugby – Southern Nomads Rugby Club
• Netball – Simcocks Eagles, Fencibles and Castletown netball clubs
• Hockey – Saracens and Castletown hockey clubs
• Boxing – Manx Amateur Boxing Club and Viking Amateur Boxing Club

Gianni Epifani, Senior Sport Development Officer with the Department of Education and Children, hopes the action-packed day will encourage the students to take up new sports either through school or at a local community club.

He said: “This initiative aims to give the students the confidence to try new sports by meeting the coaches and having a taster of what each sport entails.

“The students have taken away useful information about the clubs which will encourage them to think about joining a local club. Our thanks must go to the sports clubs and their coaches for giving up their time to make the event a success.”

Keith Winstanley, Headteacher at Castle Rushen High School said: “It was excellent to see our Year 7 students participating in this sports day with such enthusiasm.

“The students had a fun enjoyable day learning the sports, getting to know the coaches and other staff and building relationships with each other.

“A number of teachers across the school were involved which gave them the chance to get to know, and settle in, our youngest students.”

If you would like more information on the sports clubs in your area, contact Gianni Epifani on 688592 or by email gianni.epifani@gov.im.  

Photo - A group of Year 7 students learning about the various sports.