Jonnie Peacock has always loved sport and this passion shot him into the public gaze when he sprinted to glory and scooped a gold medal in the London 2012 Paralympic Games. He is now aiming for Rio. He sets his sights high and hopes his enthusiasm for sport will encourage kids to be more active and is helping to do so through the Sainsbury’s Active Kids Paralympic Challenge. Here he calls on teachers to embrace the challenge and highlights the importance of inclusion.
As a kid, my mum always said that it would be more painful to sit on the sidelines than play and so I was made to feel on a level playing field, getting stuck into football, tennis, squash, athletics – anything I could get my hands on. No kid wants to be left out so to hear that today all young people in the UK can have access to disability-friendly sports in school is awesome.
I genuinely believe that there is a sport for everyone. For me, the most important thing about inclusion is that you can have kids playing together, with able-bodied kids playing disability sports and vice versa. If you can achieve that on the sports field then we’ll be painting a better future; one day these young people may be the heads of big businesses and if they’ve known inclusion from a young age it will stick with them through life.
I wasn’t born an athlete or Paralympian but through my love of sport pushed myself to join in with the sports offered by my school. But for kids with a disability today, through Active Kids Paralympic Challenge, things should be easier; you can have all kids all playing the same games. It will be great to see those with disabilities taking on – and possibly beating or playing better than – their able-bodied peers.
That is why I was so keen to be involved with the Active Kids Paralympic Challenge to increase awareness of Paralympic sport among schools and young people. It’s certainly a challenge – we’re aiming to reach 2.5 million young people in key stages 1-3 to not only have a greater understanding of Paralympic sport, but also be more active.
As part of the challenge, teachers gain access to free downloadable resources that showcase the sports of goalball, visually impaired athletics, boccia and sitting volleyball. This means that you get all the equipment you need to get started and get moving.
Better still, the schools recording the most activities and “miles”, win awesome prizes – from signed Paralympic kit and athlete school visits, to a trip to Brazil to cheer on ParalympicsGB at next year’s Paralympic Games in Rio. So fingers crossed I see you there!
What’s more, these sports are fun and easy to organise – believe me, I’ve tried them. By putting enjoyment at the centre and heart of sport, you create engagement and positive experiences. My one plea to teachers is to adapt, rather than remove, when you have a young person with a disability. A child may think they can’t do it but they will never know if they don’t try, so it’s about thinking about how you can get them to do the same or similar activity and adapt rather than taking them out completely.
How amazing to have everyone for a split second feeling normal? It’s obvious this will help raise confidence too. Sainsbury’s has always been a huge supporter of getting kids into sport which is great, but to now have these resources which help schools provide a range of sports for kids who can’t quite do the other activities is really progressive. There is something for everyone.
Sport has helped me in all areas of my life and I hope that teachers will challenge their students to participate. A healthy lifestyle is important for so many reasons, both physical and mental, and we know that the hormones released by exercising make you happier. We need to get kids enjoying exercise from a young age because if you have that from a young age it will stick with you for the rest of your life, just like it has for me.
Sainsbury’s Active Kids Paralympic Challenge is a partnership between Sainsbury’s, the Youth Sport Trust and ParalympicsGB. For more information and register your school here #ParalympicChallenge.
