Ability Games set to dazzle in Devon

We have seen the nation take disability sport to their hearts at a national level through the Paralympics and events like the Devon Ability Games gives the chance for many athletes with a disability or impairment to shine at a local level.

The Devon Ability Games are held twice a year around the county and are an inspiring Olympic legacy.

This time it is the Plymouth Life Centre that plays host to the Games on 29th January and 500 youngsters are expected to take part and have their chance to shine. With figures suggesting that 72% of people with a disability never take part in any sport or physical activity, the Local School Games organising Committee headed up by Active Devon know that it is vital to inspire our youngsters with lifelong active habits.

Each Ability Games invites a sporting champion to come along to meet and motivate the young people who participate and this time, it is Elizabeth Haywood and Steven Dodd who will be performing this role. Elizabeth represents Great Britain in badminton and competed at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Los Angeles during July and August last year which saw over 7000 athletes from 150 different countries competing in whole host of different sports . Both she and Stephen who is a GB kayaker came away with silver medals. Also making a guest appearance at these Ability Games is 22 year old Paraclimber Hannah Baldwin who will be wowing the young people with her strength, agility and can do attitude.

When asked about what hurdles she has faced in her quest to reach a national paraclimbing standard Hannah said “The first hurdle was how would climbing even be possible with one leg!”. Hannah, Elizabeth and Steven's stories and those of many disabled athletes like them are a huge inspiration to local youngsters and demonstrate that having a disability or impairment is no barrier to confidence and success. Young people are given opportunities to take part in physical activity at school, in a club or in one of Active Devon’s satellite clubs, sportivate sessions or Opportunity Clubs.

“It doesn’t matter if they win or lose, it’s about taking part, having a good time with sport and understanding that there are no barriers when it comes to having a disability” said Lisa Alford, School Games organiser from Active Devon.

Young people with a range of impairments and disabilities get to take part in sporting competitions at the Devon Ability Games and at the Winter Games they will be trying out taster activities in over ten different sports as varied as dance, climbing, sitting volleyball and archery!

Hannah competed in her first paraclimbing competition in December 2015 and rose through the ranks. She is now on the development squad of the GB Paraclimbing team for the 2016 season with a view to competing internationally. Young people at the Ability Games are bound to be wowed by what Hannah does as not only does she climb, but she takes her wheelchair as well!

“My mum knew I would be a climber. She tells the story of when I was 10 and I went on my school climbing wall. It was the only activity I ever left asking if I could do this for a living!”

Active Devon, the County Sports partnership that represents grassroots sports and activity in the county played a pivotal role in getting Hannah back on the road to sporting success. Following illness she had a 10 year gap in taking part in sport and was reintroduced to climbing by a friend who had attended one of Active Devon’s sportivate projects. Sportivate gives 11 to 25 year olds who are inactive access to six to eight weeks’ of free or subsidised coaching in a range of sports & physical activity opportunities

“I have been paraclimbing ever since. I like that when you're climbing no one cares about your ability or disability, they are all there helping to support everyone achieve their personal goals. When I'm climbing there's a sense of normalcy”.

Hannah, Elizabeth and Steven will also be meeting the many dynamic young volunteers whose hard work make the Ability Games such a runaway success. Around 50 of them will be helping to run the competitions and officiate the event.

The Devon Ability Games is part of a programme of four Countywide Sainsbury’s School Games multi-sport festivals in Devon, delivered by Active Devon on behalf of the Devon School Games Local Organising Committee.