Five Years of PowerHouseGames!
This year marked our fifth PowerHouseGames at Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium, and once again it showed just how important inclusive sport can be for bringing people together.
A festival of inclusive sport
One of the biggest aims of the day was to continue widening awareness around inclusive sport as a whole. We were lucky to have Leicestershire County Cricket, Leicester City and the Leicester Riders involved again, all providing inclusive versions of their sports to make sure everyone had the opportunity to take part, have fun and succeed. Having almost all of the activities set up on the pitch meant participants could move easily from sport to sport, which helped create a brilliant atmosphere throughout the day.
One of the standout additions this year was Boccia. Boccia England came along to support the activity and used the rugby dugouts as part of the experience, which gave participants a unique opportunity and made the activity feel even more special. It really was the extra cherry on top.
More than just playing sport
What stood out most to me was the environment created throughout the day. The mixed teams allowed children and young people from different schools and backgrounds to socialise, try new sports and build confidence together.
That is what makes the PowerHouseGames so special.
One moment you could see someone learning rugby for the first time, and the next they were trying a completely different sport like Goalball or Boccia. Some of the SEN students were even teaching others how to play certain activities, meaning the learning worked both ways. In many ways, the PowerHouseGames feel like a blueprint for what inclusive sport should look like.
There was one vulnerable adult from the Values Caring Group who particularly stood out to me. He would normally keep very much to himself, but throughout the day he integrated brilliantly within his team and even scored a goal alongside the Leicester City guys. His support workers said;
“They had never seen him show so much excitement and enjoyment before.”
Moments like that are exactly why these events matter.
As a Senior Inclusion Officer, you quickly realise that inclusion is never something you completely finish working on. Throughout the day you see success in so many different forms. Some students arrived full of confidence, while others were much more reserved, but by the end of the event many were socially interacting and engaging with people they would normally feel nervous around. Seeing that transformation over such a short period of time was incredibly rewarding.
A team effort
I am also very lucky to work with such an outstanding team at the Leicester Tigers Foundation. The effort from staff, volunteers and partners throughout the day was fantastic and showed exactly why events like this are so important.
A huge thank you must also go to Samworth Brothers for supporting the event for the third consecutive year. Their volunteers helped behind the scenes throughout the day and their continued community support has been invaluable.
Looking ahead
At the Leicester Tigers Foundation, rugby is the vehicle we use, but inclusion is always the main objective. Whether that is through rugby or alternative sports, making sure everyone has the opportunity to succeed is what matters most. Many of the organisations involved in the day share that same vision, and without them the event would not have been possible.
Finally, a huge thank you to John and Alex. Their passion and commitment to inclusion continues to make these events possible, and they remain such an important part of what makes the PowerHouseGames so impactful.
Inspired? Then Get Involved!
Would your university sports team, or school love to be involved in a PowerHouseGames? Could your company support our mission by volunteering at one of our PowerHouseGames? If so, then we would love to hear from you. We are also always looking out for people willing to fundraise for Power2Inspire through their own inspiring means. Or, you could volunteer individually at one of our events, or you could give to the ongoing work of Power2Inspire. There are SO MANY WAYS we can all help to ensure “no on else is left on the bench!” Click the button here to find out more.
Huge thanks to Sam Johnston, Senior Inclusion Officer at Leicester Tigers Foundation, for speaking with me and giving his perspective on yet another successful PowerHouseGames with the Leicester Tigers Foundation.
