The case studies below have featured in the specialist press. We hope they highlight the benefits of our programmes and bring to life some of the experiences of our client schools.
Shaun Beattie's Report from Valencia CF In the October holidays I went on a football training programme at Valencia C.F organised by Inspiresport for five days with my school Belmont House. Before we got there I felt so excited that I was going to train at one of the best football teams in the world’s training ground. I was looking forward to meeting the coaches and seeing how different it would be from the British way of coaching. I was not disappointed when I got there, as it was everything I expected it to be. When we arrived at our hotel, we were told the Itinerary for the trip. It included: five days of training sessions, a match against local opposition, watching a first team training session, bowling and laser quest at night, a visit to the Mestalla (Valencia C.F football stadium) including time in the Valencia C.F club shop. We trained every day, and usually twice a day from Monday to Friday. On our first day, we did a session on control, day two a session on passing, day three a session on shooting, turning and dribbling, day four a session on heading and on day five, we played small sided games against each other. Our coach’s name was Miguel; he was the coach of the Under 10s at Valencia C.F. He was very good and his coaching was much different from the British way of coaching. It was more about moving the ball and looking for space whereas in Scotland it’s more physical and about playing long balls. His drills were mostly about attacking. They included small sided games incorporating skills such as heading, free kicks, possession games, dribbling and shooting, how to beat players etc… The training was really fun because you were playing football all day, but at the same time it was very serious. On the Tuesday night and Thursday night, we went to Heron city, a shopping mall nearby. It was a good place to relax at, as there were many things to do there. You could go shopping, go bowling, go to the cinemas, go to laser quest or go for something to eat. We played a match on the Wednesday night we were there against a local team called UD Paterna. They were a really attacking team, which reinforced the image that teams abroad have different styles of football from Scotland. They weren’t much better than us, just faster and technically better. I was playing centre back so didn’t get to use much of the techniques I had learned in training apart from passing. We played well, but in the end we lost 5-2. I felt my passing and reading of the game had improved during the game as a result of the coaching I had been receiving. On Thursday during the day we watched a first team training session. I didn’t know who some of the players were apart from Canizares because most of Valencia’s squad was on international duty. Although later on in the day we saw David Villa, Morientes and Fernandes. They were all injured, so they did not go on international duty. This was great because David Villa is one of my favourite football players and I also like Morientes and Fernandes. We got our inspiresport football kits signed by all the players once they had finished their training session, which was also great. On the Friday before we left to go home, we went into Valencia City centre. We went to Valencia C.F’s office where the head of the Youth academy gave us a presentation on Valencia C.F and gave us all medals and certificates. We then went to the Mestalla which was impressive. It was quite scary how steep the stands were inside; it looked as though they were vertical! We went to the away changing rooms where big teams such as Barcelona, Real Madrid and Celtic have all been. We went to the Press room which was particularly interesting for me as I want to be a sports journalist and I had never been in one before. We went to the Valencia Club shop which was amazing, but a bit expensive! We then left Valencia to go back to the airport. I was sad to leave because it was so much fun playing football all day with my friends but I was happy at the same time to go home and see my other friends and family. The training made me realise that football is lot more complicated that I thought and appreciate it more. You need to really think about when to make a certain pass, keep the ball and run or shoot because any of these actions could change a game. Overall I thought the trip was fantastic because I had lots of fun playing football and becoming better at it at the same time and would definitely do it again. Hampton School – Football Development Programme The Grass is Greener at Deportivo La Coruña
Hampton School is blessed with 27 acres of playing fields, of which 7 football pitches and an acclaimed sporting heritage that holds strong today, thanks to an excellent games programme, both on and off curriculum. The school is also the current keeper of the Independent Schools’ FA Boodle Cup. The boys at Hampton are clearly serious about their football. This summer, the school put together a unique football experience for the junior boys, light-years away from the traditional football tour. Hampton turned to “inspiresport”, the specialist provider of train and play programmes to tailor a development course to meet the school’s needs. The company works with some of the world’s top football clubs including the likes of Chelsea FC, AC Milan, Arsenal and Real Madrid to enable school groups (in both state and independent sector and regardless of standard) to experience life inside professional clubs.
Ben Murphy, Hampton’s football coach and Carlos Mills, Head of Football were certainly keen to get their junior players geared up and ready to play from the outset of this season but their approach was surprisingly laid back. ‘We just wanted to make the boys aware that football was starting again, as well as offer them a great opportunity to train within a professional club, something no-one had experienced. It wasn’t about fitness levels or over-pushing the kids.’ Serious? Yes, Over-demanding, then – not so. Ben Murphy and Carlos Mills attended an inspiresport inspection visit that took in two very different Spanish clubs, Real Madrid and Deportivo La Coruña. ‘Real Madrid was exciting and had excellent facilities but we really liked the atmosphere and approach at Deportivo La Coruña – it felt right for us and seemed to set the tone of what we wanted to achieve,’ explains Ben Murphy. Deportivo’s home is in the region of Galicia, in the western side where Spain borders Portugal. Set on the Atlantic coast, Galicia and its capital, La Coruña is envied in Spain for its mild weather and lush, forested landscapes. In football terms, the temperate climate leaves the other Spanish clubs envious of Deportivo’s nine, lovingly maintained grass pitches that make up the club’s training ground, a fact that didn’t go unnoticed on Hampton’s inspection visit. “We hadn’t expected to find such high quality, grass pitches in Spain – it was a real find”, says Carlos Mills. So, at the height of summer, 16 Hampton juniors took advantage of the mild Galician climate and spent five days training with Deportivo coaches at the club grounds. ‘We offered the programme to boys from all three team levels – ‘C’ through to ‘A’, says Ben Murphy, Some of the children had grown physically and so it was a good time to check their development. Also, having the three standards play together was a rare opportunity to evaluate the boys on an even playing field; we identified 3 C team players who were performing well above standard and we were able to move them up. I don’t think it would have been so easy to spot in our normal conditions at school’. Deportivo coaches worked on drills and brought a more European approach to their skills while the Hampton’s teachers observed. ‘The coaching staff was first rate’, says Carlos Mills, ‘they established a good relationship with the boys and remained very professional – it was just the tone we wanted to establish. From a teacher’s perspective, it was a great learning experience all-round – we were able to evaluate the boys without having to coach at the same time, we could observe Deportivo’s coaches and we regularly watched the club’s teams in training too.” Perhaps the aspect that made the most impact on teachers and pupils alike was the way their team simply fitted in to the way of life at the club. ‘We were in the thick of it. It was very natural and spontaneous – we were in the same routine as the club teams, doing what they did, brushing shoulders with the best – it was a very special experience’. During Hampton’s stay, Deportivo hosted an international friendly tournament. Other European clubs including Real Madrid played in the 3 day competition. The legendary Madrileño club set up their training for three days on Depor’s manicured grass pitches. Carlos Mills tells the story ‘…so there we were with our sign on our pitch ‘Hampton School’ and the next pitch’s sign read ‘Real Madrid’. The team had been allocated the pitch next to ours. It was surreal!’ Watching Real Madrid train brought home everything the staff were trying to achieve: ‘it was a real incentive for the kids’, says Ben Murphy, ‘and the players were very open and accessible – we all got autographs and our photos taken, and the ‘Galacticos’’ autographs’. So now that they are on first name terms with the ‘Galacticos’, it’s on to new pastures at Real Madrid next year, then? ‘We’ll stick with the pastures of La Coruña for now: it was the perfect club for us,’ says Carlos Mills with a wide smile.
PRACTICE DOES MAKE PERFECT: THE BOOK ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST (ESFA- KICKS magazine)
ESFA member school, St. John the Baptist in Surrey took a team of 27 young players to Valencia CF at Easter. David Bourne, Head of Football offered an insight into the school’s motivations for choosing the programme and their experience at this La Liga club. ‘We had organised several successful football tours over the past few years but were beginning to find them a little run-of-the-mill. Many of our boys play for local clubs outside the school and are very serious about their football. So, we started to look for something more special. The inspiresport concept appealed to us because they offered the chance to discover what it was like to be a professional player. We thought that it would be an amazing experience to train, like full-time players at a top club like Valencia, with the club’s experts coaching our own young players. inspiresport came up with a programme including an itinerary and coaching schedule that was specially designed to meet our school’s requirements. We opened the trip up to boys in years 8-10 and eventually took two teams: U13 and U14 for a five day stay at the Valencia CF. Staff at inspiresport had recommended Valencia for its professional, yet relaxed atmosphere and we were not disappointed. The standard and quality of coaching of coaching was very impressive. We worked on every technical aspect of the game from a more European perspective. Our schedule included two matches – one for each team – against local Spanish sides. This was an important experience for our boys: we found that play was less aggressive and the referees were stricter which meant that they had to learn to adapt their game against such different opposition. From a practical point of view, Valencia CF’s training ground is well located – close to the city and the beach and very self-contained. We stayed in three star hotel accommodation adjacent to the club, so that no transfers were necessary; we could walk across to training every day and return for lunch in our hotel. inspiresport could not have made it any easier. The boys (and the teachers) were completely immersed in the club during our time there. We felt like we belonged - training every day, in the knowledge that the club teams on the other pitches were doing similar drills to us! The first team was present throughout and, in such a relaxed atmosphere, they were very accessible. We were lucky to see ‘our’ team play in the Champions League at home against Chelsea (although they were narrowly beaten) and the icing on the cake was getting to watch them train on our last day. It was a thrilling experience for us all. When we returned to school, we played a very close match in our District Cup Final. In the last fifteen minutes, St. John the Baptists was awarded a corner. We had focused our training on corners with Valencia CF coaches just days before, so we applied our technique and it won us the cup. It was a magical moment to round off our unforgettable time at the club. We’ll be back next year.
Latymer Upper School to Villarreal (ISFA Magazine)
Latymer Upper School has a strong sports focus and sets high standards in sport, both in terms of commitment and participation. The range of extra-curricular sport and residential sports programmes on offer is a reflection of the value the school places on physical education. Every academic year, the football department organises an overseas tournament for its U13 boys’ team and an overseas train and play programme for U15 boys at the end of the season. Senior Boys (boys are eligible for Senior Football from year 11) benefit from an overseas football trip every 1 to 3 years.
This year, Latymer’s U15 overseas programme was open to the entire year group. Jude Barrell, U15 Manager and Tours Co-ordinator explains that the reason was two-fold. ‘Firstly, some boys would have only played a term of football and a term of rugby before deciding to specialise in one or the other. Those boys would have been unsure which sport to opt for. The overseas programme gives them a chance to get a feel for the sport and weigh up their own development. Many are simply blown away by the experience we offer. The second reason was to use the open-door programme as a development tool. It gave us the opportunity to be entirely focused on one age group, to step outside the coaching sessions ourselves and measure the boys’ skills and progression. Latymer Upper School’s U15 team had returned last year with an excellent experience of Valencia CF. Many groups feel that the facilities and coaching at Valencia are impossible to match and repeat their successful programmes with subsequent year groups. Latymer’s staff however, wanted to widen their first-hand experience of Spanish clubs. inspiresport had a good understanding of Latymer’s style of programme and of what they wanted to achieve. The company recommended Villarreal CF for its location (north of Valencia, close to the coast), the club’s wonderful “family” atmosphere, excellent coaches and accessibility of top players in training. Jude Barrell attended an inspection visit, offered by inspiresport. ‘It was an absolute “must”. It enabled me to get a good feel for the prospective programme but it also helped me to organise the detail and iron out any potential issues in advance’.
‘We wanted to give the boys an unforgettable experience and I don’t think we could have asked for a better location or club to do it. The beach hotel environment was spot-on: very appealing, with an array of activities on offer on-site or close by. And Villarreal exceeded my expectations: the coaching was excellent. Paul Gibson, the Head of Football and I made notes from observing the coaches with our boys and we developed lots of ideas from specific aspects of their coaching systems to use back at school.’
Did the boys’ skills develop during the trip? ‘We have definitely gained in terms of strength and depth. Some of the players’ progression really impressed us and even got Villarreal’s coaches talking about them.
‘The atmosphere at the club provided undiluted excitement for the boys. They were totally in awe of players like Diego Forlan and Robert Pires who were training close by. They were amazed that they were there, being coached by the club professionals – just like the first team. It was like a dream.’ The club’s open atmosphere also meant that Latymer’s group got to watch training sessions and fixtures from the youngest to the most senior Villarreal teams. The company organised a stadium tour for the group, which was felt to be a nice touch by staff. They also received match tickets to watch the Valencia CF v Espanyol game at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia.
‘The icing on the cake was playing against Villarreal’s academy team. We knew they were much better than us but we thought that it was important to do it, even if we were going to get beaten. It was an amazing experience for the boys – a match they will never forget. I would definitely recommend teachers not to overlook that opportunity.’
During inspiresport’s end-of-programme medal ceremony, Latymer gave its own awards for ‘Player of the Tour’ and ‘Most Improved Player’ and back at school, the department produced a post-tour programme for the boys to enjoy and for staff to share experiences across sports departments.
As Jude Barrell says, ‘the buzz of Villarreal continues, even ‘though the season has ended’.
Glasgow Academy Boys Become Valencia CF Football Players (for a week!) Glasgow Academy is traditionally a Rugby-playing school, but many of the boys are also enthusiastic football players. The school runs an U14 football club and its coach, Raymond Latimer, was keen to give their team members an opportunity to train and play together abroad. Raymond had heard from another teacher about the specialist sports travel provider for schools, inspiresport and its original concept, who had already experienced the company’s programmes first-hand. Inspiresport works with some of the world’s top football clubs as partners in order to offer schools tailor-made training programmes run by the club’s own coaching staff, whilst inspiresport organises every detail of each school’s programme prior to departure and during each group’s time at their chosen club.
‘inspiresport programmes were recommended to me by another teacher, who had found that the company’s services were first class,’ explains Raymond Latimer. ‘The idea of being part of a football club for a week really appealed to me. Our school chose Valencia CF, one of the top clubs in the Spanish ‘Liga’, based on the southeast coast. I knew the experience would be good before we left, but I was particularly impressed by the atmosphere at the club and by how welcome we were made to feel there. Far from being a ‘novelty’ concept, we were treated like serious football players during our stay with Valencia: the coaching was of an excellent standard: well-adapted to our ability level. We played two matches against local opposition during our time at the club and they really highlighted how much the boys had improved.’ For our children, the icing on the cake was watching Valencia’s first team train and getting to meet some of those players around the training grounds. It was an experience that pupils and teachers alike will never forget’
Mark Woods, Aylsham School, Inspection Visit to Athletic Bilbao (PE and Sport Today)
I recently read a letter in a local newspaper claiming that if teachers spent more time planning lessons and less time taking pupils on school trips, which the writer essentially described as teacher jollies, then the state of the nation would be better than it is now. You can imagine the frustration I felt at reading such a blinkered and uninformed viewpoint. The reality, as all teachers involved know, is that in the current educational and social climate, the organisation of school trips is a considerable responsibility and a demand on time and resources. Yet, the rewards pupils reap can transcend classroom learning: away visits can inspire pupils to think differently about a subject, they can motivate them to achieve more and perhaps most importantly, they help them to mature socially and culturally. If we take the easy option and do away with school trips, we surely exclude a valuable part of learning from a child’s education. As a PE teacher, I organise many residential programmes for school teams, both in the UK and abroad. With the experience I have gained, I can appreciate the possible pitfalls involved. With this in mind, I plan carefully and use all the guidance from a reputable travel company so that we make the most of our trips. One key element is attending an inspection visit. I began planning an October half term (2006) football tour to Athletic Bilbao in November 2005. I used a specialist company, ‘inspiresport’ recommended by the English Schools Football Association. Inspiresport offered a free inspection visit to the Spanish club once I had confirmed my visit. This company and others offer the same benefit before you book a group and can then deduct the cost of the trip once you make a reservation. As I had never been to Bilbao, I had the recommendation of the staff and the information provided in the brochure and website to rely on. The inspection visit offer would be essential to ensure that the itinerary and services offered met the needs and avoided any problems for my group of 22 fifteen to sixteen year old pupils. Also, many foreign trips are expensive and parents need to know that their money is being spent wisely and that their children are receiving the best package possible. I would not want my pupils to spend a large sum of money on a professional football package to actually end up training on a muddy school field. By personally visiting the venues it will give you the information required as to whether this trip would be suitable or not. I had a lot of detail to fill in for Norfolk LEA and so my trip was invaluable from the risk assessment perspective. The inspection visit also gives you the option to change some aspects of the tour if they do not necessarily meet your requirements. Whilst in Bilbao, we visited two choices of hotel on offer from the company. One was in the heart of Bilbao, located on a busy street. Immediately I became aware that this was not suitable for the age groups of children I was taking. Another teacher on the tour however was taking older children and felt this was a good choice for his group. The second hotel was on the outskirts and was more isolated and self-contained and therefore right for my group. I was also able to check on hotel facilities, rooms, safety issues including fire routes, balconies, deposit boxes etc. Besides have better knowledge to complete risk assessments, I knew we were not in for any nasty surprises on our arrival. Visiting the training facilities was essential and allowed for the opportunity to gather information and photographs to use back at school. Walking around the club ground, I become very excited about training there so I knew it would have a tremendous, positive impact on the pupils when they arrived. I was also able to see first hand some of the benefits of the training facilities such as on site first aid and facility security. All of this information gathered was used in the planning and paperwork. It also helped to bring the programme alive during the parent information evening. These evenings are vital and allow parents and pupils to ask questions about the trip. There is nothing worse than being asked a question about the trip and having to reply “I don’t know, we’ll have to wait and see”. The inspection visit also gave me the opportunity to learn about the region and club – valuable insights which I was able to pass on to the pupils. The visit gave me a glimpse of the cultural benefits the pupils were to receive during the trip. Athletic Club Bilbao is a very proud club and is run very differently from most clubs in the modern game. Only players who are born in the Basque region can play for Bilbao - an astonishing fact for UK players who follow English Premiership football. Imagine Chelsea recruiting only London-born players! Bilbao is also one of only a few clubs who refuse to have sponsors on their shirts. This is because the famous red and white stripes are sacred and cannot be tarnished by a corporate logo. The controversial decision costs the club millions in lost revenue but to see a club stand by its morals and beliefs is very refreshing and something I want our pupils to appreciate. Having been on this inspection tour I was totally confident in my ability to run a safe, well-organised and beneficial trip. I was able to thoughtfully plan for any potential risks and I tweaked the trip with inspiresport’s help so that we got the most from our time in Bilbao. When I returned with my team in October, the boys were blown away by the club – it provided the ‘wow’ factor I had expected and more. Athletic Bilbao made us feel so welcome that we all felt like we belonged there! My first hand knowledge of the city, accommodation, distances etc meant that every went according to plan and a truly fantastic time was had by all. An inspection visit is not an added extra, nor a staff jolly; it is an essential part of planning and running a good, safe trip.
Getting the most out of School Trips, PE and Sport Today, featuring Priory School and Brentwood School
In 5 years, the School Sports Travel business has seen a significant rise in demand for residential programmes. The last academic year alone saw a 7% leap in the number of secondary schools in the UK offering at least one sports trip for their pupils to 73% of all schools. The range of sports activities has also grown considerably since the days of the traditional skiing holiday. The market for residential programmes certainly grew on the back of skiing and although snow sports are still the most popular activity for a residential outing, other sports such as football and rugby are catching up fast.
The surge in demand for a variety of different sports tours is the result of a welcome government initiatives promoting sport in schools to tackle a wide range of issues such as obesity and attendance levels. More flexible legislation allowing schools to schedule sports trips during term time have also encouraged committed teachers to choose residential programmes as a way of developing their pupils’ skills and passion for curriculum sports. Darren Campbell, Olympic Gold Medallist relay sprinter and passionate football player agrees: ‘Ashdon Mersey School gave me the opportunity to go on a football course. I was a keen player but the programme I went on took my skills to another level. That experience was so memorable, it gave me the passion for the game that I still have today ’.
Increased demand means the number of operators offering sports tours has mushroomed and the types of tours on offer is now huge. Indeed, schools are bombarded with leaflets and brochures and the choice can be confusing. As the sports tours business has expanded and become more fragmented, so have the risk and safety issues relating to school sports travel. The government has introduced welcome, new legislation and procedures making children’s safety top priority. But new rules mean increasing paperwork for schools who are already finding bureaucracy a burden. In fact, inspiresport’s independent research found that 47% of schools who chose not to offer an away trip did so because of the paper trail.
Given both the clear benefits (see table opposite) sports development programmes offer and the improved safety procedures, the administration burden shouldn’t be off-putting: And with new government initiatives launched as part of the 2012 London Olympic and Legacy programmes, there has never been a better time to promote sport and develop talent in schools.
Here are some tips for stress-free planning and a successful sports travel programme:
Be clear about what you want to get out of your trip. The benefits are multi-faceted, so decide whether you want to prioritise team-bonding , over renewing a passion or learning new techniques from coaches abroad. This will help a reputable specialist work with you to choose the most suitable trip. Tom also suggests deciding on the basic plan such as destination, numbers and time of year before putting your trip to the pupils and parents concerned: too many cooks can spoil the broth!
Don’t try and take on the entire planning and organisation yourself. It’s time consuming and a huge responsibility. A quality specialist will take the administration and logistics out of your hands. Tom adds that companies willing to go the extra mile, such as preparing parents’ letters, assisting in presentations and providing risk assessments, make the pre-trip organisation smoother and problem free. So, paperwork need not be an issue if you select the right company. Choose an operator which puts children’s safety as its top priority. Ensure your company carries out a risk assessment on your behalf. The information provided will assist you in supplying documentation to your LEA. Key issues that should be covered include on-site staff police checks, inspected equipment, emergency evacuation, first aid procedures, venue inspections etc. (Reputable companies like inspiresport will also offer group inspection visits for sports travel co-ordinators prior to departure). Chose a reputable company. Inspiresport’s research found that 16% of schools are still selecting companies who do not possess ABTA and ATOL licenses. Those schools could be putting themselves and parents at financial risk. It is also important to ensure that your operator is fully insured and accepts responsibilities under Health and Safety Regulations. Also consider other schools’ recommendations or ask the company to put you in touch with clients. Ensure your coaching programme meets the needs of your team. ‘This is such a fundamental point yet so often neglected’, says Tom Shorey. “Old-school” sports tours typically cater for many groups in the same coaching session, meaning less individual attention and relevant skills practise that could be ill-adapted to your team’s standard.” Individual programmes tailor coaching to meet your own requirements. Specialist companies brief coaching staff to ensure they are familiar with members of your group and their abilities before you embark on your trip. Inspiresport also gives you the opportunity to talk to coaching staff prior to departure.
On site representatives Make sure your chosen company provides a knowledgeable representative for 24 hour support at your destination. A good rep. will offer cultural and leisure excursions and evening activities, relieving the group leader of the job.
Brentwood School, Valencia. PE and Sport Today
Inspiresport worked with Brentwood School to organise a 5 day, pre-season coaching programme at Valencia football club for two squads of 33 players aged 15-17. Their schedule was demanding and competitive: the boys were in solid training every morning and competed in a fixture every evening of their stay.
John Reddin, group leader, explains his motivations for the tour:
“We build new squads at the start of every year. We had three year groups involved and so the boys didn’t know each other well. Our priority was to make the team gel and provide a shared experience to set the tone for the season”
Before leaving, John outlined his needs to the two head coaches who were each assigned a squad. A coaching schedule focusing on particular skill sets was created that perfectly matched their needs. John was not only impressed by the level of expertise but also with the way the coaches went that extra mile:
“Before every match, Valencia coaches spent an hour discussing the day’s coaching and the game plan ahead”
“The trip was a great springboard to the season”. Our teams left with such a positive attitude and we were able to set the right standard and expectations from the outset”
And John’s teams reaped immediate benefits by winning their first tournament of the new season, “The Crusader Independent Schools National Senior 6-a-side Competition”
Friary School, Sharks Rugby Programme, South Africa. PE and Sport Today
Last July, Friary School in Staffordshire took 50 pupils of ages ranging from as young as 12 to 18 years old to South Africa for a combined rugby coaching and match programme that took in the two cities of Durban and Cape Town.
Group leader, Paul van Block explained what they hoped to achieve:
“Our aim was two-fold: we wanted to offer an unforgettable experience to both senior, competitive sixth-form players as their ‘swansong’ at our school and to develop and measure the talent of younger, more inexperienced players who would be playing competitively for Friary School for the next 4-6 years” inspiresport organised a two week tailored coaching programme with Natal Sharks in Durban and three competitive matches for all players.
Paul says the programme organised by inspiresport surpassed his expectations:
“The quality of the coaching was superb. The Sharks coaches built different programmes according to each team’s standard and we, as teachers gave input on a daily basis. inspiresport had said that Springbok players would contribute to the sessions but they were totally hands-on, working one-to-one with each player. Their huge stature and presence had such an impact on the kids and I personally will never forget seeing the likes of Mark Andrews and Adrian Garvey bent down, tirelessly teaching the younger kids how to catch the ball!”
Friary School’s programme was so successful that Friary School plans to return regularly to Natal Sharks.
For a downloadable copy of inspiresport’s independent research, carried out by the University of Cardiff visit their informative website www.inspiresport.com
For more information on group sports programmes, contact inspiresport on Tel 029 20 390747. .
