LEGACY, LEGACY, LEGACY- Jamie Salmon
October 11, 2012
The outgoing BOA Chairman, Colin Moynihan, used his position brilliantly to announce how wrong it is that more than 50% of the country’s 2008 medallists in Beijing came from elite independent schools and that percentage represents a mere 7% of the population.
He added: “There is so much talent out there in the 93% that should be identified and developed and given equal opportunity through a sports policy that reaches out to able bodies and disabled people whatever their background.”
Successive governments have never cracked a ‘sport in state schools policy’ and have been miles away from ever allowing it within the school curriculum. However, as another 2012 hero Sebastian Coe stated, forget initially providing individual sports and concentrate on making the youngsters more athletic by introducing co-ordination, whether it be directional or hand/eye. Also, although it may sound basic, the ability to run properly is often hugely overlooked.
These skills can be done by kids of any age, height, weight, ability and will also begin a team ethic approach to life. Also, when the LEA (Local Education Authority) say they don’t have any grass pitches it does not matter as these exercises can be done in 10 metre grids very easily and let’s not get onto selling of playing fields which over the last thirty years is more 10,000!
I have always believed that kids follow heroes rather than particular sports so as a result of the 2012 Olympics we will hopefully have lots of new Mo Farrah’s, Vicky Pendleton’s and Tom Daley’s competing in the 2020 Olympics Games and winning medals. But will the vast majority come from the 93% state sector of schools?
I hope Colin Moynihan launches a huge and lasting campaign with a mission to complete the legacy of 2012. He desperately needs Education Secretary Michael Gove and Sports Minister Hugh Robertson to join together and enforce lasting change within the state school sector. If they don’t, then they will have failed 93% of the education system and will have made a laughing stock of the promised legacy. To be fair they have at least started the process by getting leading sports governing bodies together to agree a way forward where all parties work together. The new Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, Maria Miller has just announced that our inspirational Olympians will dedicate 5,000 days a year to teach, mentor and encourage people in sport. Both these initiatives are great but the execution of the concept is the key.
If I were Prime Minister my first decision to form part of the legacy would be to make ‘Sport’ a totally new Government department, as well as a Cabinet post. I believe that sends a pretty clear and strong message to everyone.
The London Olympics has given us the perfect platform to reverse the trend of Britain fast becoming a spectator based sporting nation and returning to the participating based one we must be.
Jamie Salmon is a Director of Juniper Sport, a PR & Event Management agency who represents such clients as Mercedes-Benz, Polo Ralph Lauren and Rolex on a global basis. They are also responsible for the exclusive PR of Olympic medal swimmers Rebecca Adlington and Kerri-Anne Payne and for Zara Phillips.
Mercedes-Benz retains Juniper Sport as its international PR agency specialising in golf. Also, for the past five years, Juniper Sport has worked with Ralph Lauren to maximise its sponsorship of The Wimbledon Championships through a global public relations campaign and a polished, on-brand corporate hospitality experience. In addition, Juniper Sport’s working relationship with Rolex has been extensive within its sports sponsorship programme covering Golf, Tennis, Motor Sport and Equestrian. Juniper Sport’s current role is the co-ordination of its international golf programme.
Jamie Salmon is a former rugby international for both England and New Zealand and has worked extensively in the press and broadcast media as a columnist and commentator for rugby union.
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