Search For Future Paralympians

The University of Wolverhampton’s Walsall Campus played host to SMILE earlier this month.  Over 200 young people with special educational needs and disability (SEND) from the Black Country attended the talent-spotting sports event.

The event kicked off with a warm-up exercise, followed by Great Britain’s Paralympics 2012 Volleyball Captain, Claire Harvey and Youth Sports Trust SEND leader Sue Cook, officially opening the Event.  Students from mainstream and special schools took part in a range of sports activities including; wheelchair basketball, running basketball, football, judo, swimming, gymnastics, and many more.   Paralympian Claire Harvey said:,”It was brilliant to see the students and leaders adapting sessions with confidence to support the young people achieving.”

The aim of the event involved identifying potential gifted and talented performers, in order to provide them with the opportunity to represent their borough or city at county athlete assessment days and ultimately national talent camps. 

Wheelchair basketball teams for Wolverhampton, Walsall, Sandwell and Dudley have been successfully selected from this event by Alan Caron of AC Coaching.  The University’s Judo Development Officer, Wayne McDonald, has also identified talented young people with the potential to represent the West Midlands.