Student voice: experiencing the School Games National Finals

At the end of August, 1,500 students from schools across the country gathered at Loughborough University to compete in 11 different sports in the Schools Games National Finals. For athletes at further education colleges it was a chance to volunteer and help to facilitate the games. Here, two students from Peter Symonds College share their experiences.

Darcey Sadler-Abert

Four years ago, my life was routine and uneventful: school, homework, TV, and sleep. But everything changed when my PE teacher encouraged me to join softball cricket training. Initially, I was nervous and unfamiliar with sports but learning how to bowl revealed a hidden talent. I was quickly invited to join the senior group at my local cricket club and started training twice a week and playing two games a week. I went on to play my first men’s fourth team game, take my first adult wicket, and win the U16 bowler of the season award as well as sporting catch of the year, despite challenges like GCSEs and a shoulder injury.

I'm now a student at Peter Symonds College studying biology, chemistry, geography and product design. In Year 12, I switched to a new team to train, achieving nine wickets in eight games despite a foot injury earlier in the year. Now in Year 13, preparing for A Levels, I’ve been selected for Hampshire County Pathway trials. Although starting cricket later than others, I’m hopeful for success and can’t imagine life without the sport I’ve grown to love as deeply as others,

I’m also part of the sports development team which aims to increase student participation in sport. Through this, in May, I received an email from the head of PE about volunteering at the School Games National Finals.

I was eager to engage with other sports enthusiasts and gain valuable volunteering experience. This was my first sports-related volunteer event related to Peter Symonds, although I had previously participated in trips to farms and coached at my local cricket club after obtaining my foundation coaching certificate in January. It was an incredible experience; the balance between work and leisure allowed us to enjoy watching various sports whilst also fulfilling our responsibilities.

My group consisted of five other equally sports-passionate girls and our first day involved travel and team-building activities. On the second day, we surrounded the 3x3 basketball court for six hours, managing stray basketballs and assisting players with warm-up timings. Although standing for long periods was tough, my group and the nice weather made it enjoyable. The third day was more relaxed, focusing on track athletics. We organised hurdles, coordinated food distribution and awarded medals, with most of the afternoon free for our enjoyment.

This experience boosted my confidence as I interacted with people of all ages in the sports environment. I gained insights into many sports and developed skills in following instructions and executing tasks efficiently. Our group was trusted to operate independently, which sometimes required us to think creatively and resolve unexpected issues. The final day involved a media workshop in the morning, followed by practical interviews with players and coaches.

By the end of the weekend, I felt a sense of accomplishment and immense gratitude for the opportunity. Not only did I forge new friendships, but I also gained an invaluable experience that will serve me well in my future career and personal life.

Kayleigh Maishman

I’ve played football from a young age and always found the excitement of sport so fascinating. Coming to college has been an amazing way for me to get more involved with sport activities whilst gaining skills to benefit me in the future.

I’m studying A Levels in biology, chemistry and psychology, as well as an extended project qualification (EPQ). I’m also part of the sports development team, and through this I help run a recreational women’s football enrichment once a week during lunchtime. This is a great opportunity for anyone, no matter their level of ability, to enjoy some time playing football.

Volunteering at the School Games National Finals was an exciting chance for me to involve myself in an unfamiliar environment and immerse myself in an environment filled with enthusiasm, passion and excitement for sport.

I developed new skills in areas I had found challenging in previous times, including communicating with new people and adapting to constantly changing situations. I also got to try out new activities such as sport journalism and sport management. Each day enlightened me with more thrilling learning opportunities, allowing me to come out with more experience and knowledge about sport itself.

I also volunteered at the AoC National Championships in April where I got to help out with setting up events, the opening ceremony and the sport competitions. This was my first time travelling on my own far from home, which gave me the confidence to do it again when it came to the School Games National Finals.

Both opportunities really boosted my independence and self-esteem and helped me to feel more competent in my actions which I take forward with me each day.

The events also gave me the chance to get to know about the different lives people in England have and allowed me to connect with individuals who I will never forget. It made me realise that sometimes, the best lessons are those outside the classroom. My college has been so great at empowering me to be able to do all the sport activities I am fortunate to take part in and I’m grateful for the support they provide me with as an aspiring student. My lead teacher for the sports development team continues to give me more motivation to carry on my love for taking part in sport volunteering, leading and learning.

My experiences with volunteering have really helped me to better understand what I want to make of my time at university and the sort of activities may take part in during those years. I am planning to study psychology, but being a part of these sporting events has made me consider sport psychology specifically and the possible pathways that could take me down.

I’m excited to continue my drive for sporting enrichments and look forward to discovering what else I may be able to do in the future to pursue my ongoing passion for sport. I cannot wait to see where this pathway takes me.