Pupils from Wolverhampton will be joining their peers from across the region at this year's Black Country School Games Summer Festival on Friday.

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More than 1,500 aspiring athletes - including children from over 25 Wolverhampton schools - will be going head to head in 10 events at the University of Wolverhampton's Walsall Campus.

The Festival showcases the energy and passion young people have for sport, leadership and competition, and is the culmination of a 6 month programme.

It will see pupils representing their schools and local councils in athletics, multi skills, rounders, rugby, cricket, dodgeball, tri golf, multi skills, football and duathlon with the hope of being crowned Black Country champions and lifting the Joel Richards Black Country Schools Games Festival Cup.

Among those taking part are pupils from Fallings Park, St Luke's, Elston Hall, St Andrew's, St Stephen's, Stowheath, Whitgreave, Springvale, Villiers, Stow Heath, Bhylls Acre, Uplands, Fallings Park, Corpus Christi, Lanesfield, Eastfield, Woodfield, St Bartholomew's, Claregate, Rakegate, Wolverhampton Girls, Our Lady and St Chad's, Highfields, Westcroft, Northern House, Smestow and The Royal schools.

The day will kick off with an Olympic inspired opening ceremony, featuring a gymnastics performance from pupils at Wodensfield Primary School.

Councillor Lynne Moran, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, said: "The Black Country School Games Summer Festival will give hundreds of youngsters from Wolverhampton a chance to take part in competitive sport.

"I'd like to wish every competitor the best of luck and, who knows, we could be watching a star of tomorrow in action."

The School Games Summer Festival 2018 is organised by a Local Organising Committee in conjunction with Active Black Country with funding from Sport England through the National Lottery.

Local Organising Committee Chair Steve Lanckham said: "The Black Country School Games is a fixture in our schools annual sporting calendar and all our pupils look forward to the culmination of a year of competition in school.

"It showcases the energy and passion young people have for sport, leadership and competition, with this year's event promising to be the biggest and best yet, with over 1,500 competitors from schools across the length and breadth of the Black Country."

Ian Carey, Active Black Country Director, said: "We are privileged once again to be able to use the fantastic facilities at the University of Wolverhampton and I would like to thank our hosts for their support for these games. 

"The School Games festival showcases the best of school sport in the Black Country and these events are about inspiring young people of all abilities to achieve their potential."

To find out more about the annual Black Country School Games visit Type=links;Linkid=10622;Title=Active Black Country;Target=_blank;.

  • released: Tuesday 26 June, 2018