A new event for primary four children held last Friday in Annan has been hailed a resounding success by schools, teachers, local sports clubs and coaches. 422 children from schools in Annandale and Eskdale took part in a morning of sport and physical activity.
The new Active Games Festival, organised by Active Schools and Community Sport for Dumfries and Galloway Council, was introduced this year for primary four age children. The aim of the event is to introduce them to a number of sports in preparation for participation in the PEPAS school sporting calendar when children move into primary five.
The Active Games Festival, along with the PEPAS sporting calendar for the academic year, was sponsored by Magnox Limited and was held at Galabank Stadium and The Everholm Running Track in Annan and was delivered in partnership with Annan Athletic Football Club, Annan Rugby Football Club, Moffat Rugby Football Club and Annan and District Athletics Club.
The event allowed every child the opportunity to participate in three coaching sessions in Rugby, Football and Athletics, with the sessions being delivered by club coaches and 30 young sports leaders from Annan, Moffat, Lockerbie and Langholm Academy.
Chairman of Annandale and Eskdale Area Committee, Councillor Ronnie Ogilvie said “The Active Games Festival was an introduction to the school sporting calendar for all primary four children in Annandale and Eskdale. There were over 420 children who participated and we could not have delivered the event without the support of our local sports clubs which is hugely appreciated”.
He also added “The event was also supported by thirty young sports leaders from the four secondary schools in the area and it is encouraging when organisations can work in partnership to deliver this scale of event for the next generation of young sports people in Annandale and Eskdale.”
Alison Cowan, Supply Chain Manager from Magnox Limited stated “we are delighted to again support the Primary Schools Sporting Calendar that included the new Active Games Festival. It was great to see so many young children from the whole of Annandale and Eskdale engaging in structured coaching sessions that provides excellent links and pathways to local sporting clubs and next year’s sporting calendar.
Following the event there were nine presentations made to the children who had shown good sportsmanship, good endeavour and a player of the day in each sport. These were present by sponsors, council members and club coaches to the following children: –
Sport Awards Name School
Back Row (L-R)
Ali Cowan, Supply Chain Manager, Magnox Limited
Gary Coupland, Annan Rugby Club
Cammy Little, Moffat Rugby Club
Front Row (L-R)
Rugby – Player of the Day – Murray Ker, Cummertrees Primary School
Rugby – Endeavour Award – Kris Byers, Kirkpatrick Fleming Primary School
Rugby – Sportsmanship Award – Kara Waitt – Canonbie Primary School
Rugby Player of the Day Murray Ker Cummertrees Primary School
Endeavour Kris Byers Kirkpatrick Fleming Primary School
Sportsmanship Kara Waitt Canonbie Primary School
Athletics Athlete of the Day Kacper Barglik Applegarth Primary School
Endeavour Oliwia Sliwinska Hecklegirth Primary School
Sportsmanship Ava Fotheringham Elmvale Primary School
Football Player of the Day Roxanne Hairstains Lockerbie Primary School
Endeavour Evie Skinner Gretna Primary School
Sportsmanship Robert Lane Tundergarth Primary School
Main photo – Young Sports Leaders
