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Surf's up for Neath Port Talbot Physical Activity Sport Service 5x60 scheme

Surf’s Up For 5X60 Contest

In a joint venture Neath Port Talbot Physical Activity Sport Service 5x60 scheme, Aberavon Surf Life Saving Club and GSD Surf School teamed up to give children in the local area an opportunity to surf for the first time . Pupils took part in a course of five surf lessons resulting with the top five from each school being selected to take part in a surf contest at the end of the course.

Simon Jayham from GSD surf school commented “Aberavon has so much potential for future surfing champions due to the size of the local catchment area within walking distance and of course the excellent lifeguard club already based on the beach”

Pupils from Neath Port Talbot, Swansea and Merthyr descended on Aberavon beach on Wednesday 9^th July to take part in the first ever 5x60 surf contest. The driving wind and rain did not dampen the spirits of the children and although the inclement weather was not ideal at least it brought with it some waves.

The contest began with a thorough warm up which included running, swimming and of course catching some waves. The heats were a close call with all children standing and showing off their skills to the judges with awesome moves like switch foot, backwards surfing and the coffin. Semi finals were a close encounter. The judges found it difficult to pick a top ten, but after close deliberation they finally whittled it down and the final began with the top 5 surfers (listed below) receiving a free surf day with GSD on Caswell beach this summer.

1^{ST Jarred Stanfields (Ason Taf/ Merthyr)}

2^{ND Lewis Hazell (Gowerton Comprehensive)}

3^{RD Josh Baker (Ason Taf/ Merthyr)}

4^{TH Ben Davies (Cwrt Sart)}

5^{TH Connor Thomas (Sandfields)}

The event is now looking for sponsors for next year. Anyone interested should contact Mark Napieralla on 01639 861147 or email m.napieralla@npt.gov.uk

Contact details- Mark Napieralla, Physical activity & sport service, Afan Lido Princess Margaret Way, Port Talbot, Sa12 6QW

Telephone- 01639 861147

Email- m.napieralla@npt.gov.uk

Surfing Development aided by 5 times 60 sports officers here in Wales

Ok, this seasons weather has not been great but we have had loads of surf and plenty of willing young people taking the five week challenge of surfing after school. With thanks to the support of the 5 times 60 sports team here in Wales.  Over 200 young people, many of who would never of had the chance to surf on a regular basis have been enjoying the surf at Aberavon Beach and Caswell Bay.

The season culminated in a surf contest for the top 40 out of the 200  surfers and was held  on Aberavon a newly appointed blue flag beach. It was amazing to see the standard of surfing considering that the guys have only had five surfing sessions, the picture below shows Sandfields local lad Ben who managed to surf all the way to the final and place 4th.

Aberavon has so much potential for future surfing champions due to the size of the local  catchment area within walking distance and of course the excellent lifeguard club already based on the beach.  We feel confident that from this hot bed of talent more Beth masons and Gwen Spurlocks will be up and riding soon.

Pic 1 is Bens first surfing lesson, Pic 2 Ben on his first wave of many and Pic 3 is Ben getting a helping hand with his surfboard from the beach.

Pic 1.

Pic 2.

Pic 3.

British schools are offering surfing to help fight obesity and other social problems

I stumbled upon this article thanks to the Institute of Sports and Recreation Management (ISRM) members E newsletter clicked on and read the following. Ministers will pledge this week to offer children five hours of "organised exercise" a week in order to tackle Britain's obesity crisis.

Schools and out-of-school clubs will be instructed to provide greater levels of sport and exercise under the Government's obesity strategy.

Alan Johnson, the Health Secretary, and Ed Balls, the Schools Secretary, will outline national targets to drastically increase activity among children...' for more on this article please click here 'schools to offer more sport to fight flab'

Just to let you know readers that pupils across Wales are and have been experiencing a new dimension in the way sport and physical activity is delivered in secondary schools. Funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and managed by the Sports Council for Wales, 5x60 is changing the face of sport provision in schools. Gowerton School got the ball rolling over three years ago as one of the 5x60 pilot projects across Wales. 

The 5x60 programme aims to encourage more young people than ever before to take part in sport and physical activity on a frequent basis and will be the main vehicle for achieving the Welsh Assembly Government’s aim of 90% of secondary school age children taking part in regular and frequent physical activity. 

The programme at Gowerton allows pupils to enjoy activities which they might not have had the chance to experience.  Over the last three years pupils at Gowerton School have been able to take part in a variety of extra-curricular activities including street dance, rock climbing, archery, intra school tournaments, walking challenges, girl’s football, lacrosse, basketball, rugby and gymnastics to name a few.

However one of the most successful 5x60 clubs so far has been surfing. For more information on 5 times 60 click here five times sixty school information and to book your schools end of the day slot please email us 'contact surfgsd'   p.s another idea to help may be to stop selling school playgrounds, encourage controlled risk taking, encourage children's play, invest in grass roots sport rather than the elite whom apart from the rugby team have not really done anything of note...... wow starting to sound like a rant, sorry.