UK Schools go global and show support for Olympic and Paralympic teams across the world!
Support a Team!
15 Nov 2011
‘Support a Team’ is a major new strand of Get Set goes global’, part of the official London 2012 education programme which aims to help students explore and demonstrate how sport brings the world together.
The initiative launched today encourages schools across the UK to support at least one Olympic team and at least one Paralympic team from around the world. Students can then prepare for the arrival of athletes and visitors from around the world to their towns, cities and communities for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games next summer. Schools will be encouraged to learn about the athletes and cultures of their chosen teams, along with Team GB and ParalympicsGB, in the lead-up to the London 2012 Games.
All schools can access free learning resources to help them to select their teams. Resources designed to help young people get behind the athletes competing for Team GB and ParalympicsGB will be available in the new year.
Seb Coe, Chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), launched the scheme today at Perryfields Primary School in Oldbury, Birmingham. The school has chosen to support the Ethiopian Olympic team because they have been inspired by the achievements and values of Haile Gebrselassie, the long-distance track and road running athlete. They have also chosen to support the Zambian Paralympic team because they have a link with a Zambian school and would like to use this to build on the learning they have done about the Paralympic Games.
Today they are starting their learning through a number of different activities including researching Ethiopia’s and Zambia’s previous performance at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, their athletes, and their languages. The pupils will also create banners and flags to help them to show their support for the teams.
There will be up to 204 Olympic teams and 170 Paralympic teams competing at London 2012 and there are many ways a school can select a team. Schools could choose a team their school or community already has a link with or that speaks a language spoken in their school. They may choose a team training near them at a Pre Games Training Camp or by using the ‘team selector tool’ on the interactive map, available on the ‘Get Set goes global’ website .
LOCOG Chair Seb Coe said: ‘We have always said that we want every Olympic and Paralympic team to feel welcome on their arrival in the UK, while celebrating the multiculturalism and diversity of the UK. This is a fantastic example of how we plan to do that. The Get Set programme continues to inspire and engage young people across the UK and I am delighted to think that, through ‘Support a Team’, we will have a knowledgeable, interested and excited group of young supporters to welcome our athletes in 2012. I would urge all schools to select their teams now’.
Schools will also get the chance to showcase what they have learned about their teams and to celebrate the athletes, cultures and sports of the world on Monday 25 June 2012 as part of London 2012 World Sport Day , presented by Lloyds TSB.
Schools that join the ‘Get Set network’ reward and recognition scheme before Friday 16 December 2011 will also secure an allocation of tickets to the Games for students aged 10-18 at no cost through the London 2012 Ticketshare initiative, as well as other exclusive rewards and opportunities.
