“We promise to take part in these games as individual competitors and team members …”

`A message from your chairman

Welcome to the 23rd Saddleworth Village Olympics, a competition open to all the young people of Saddleworth between the ages of seven and seventeen.
2008 is also official Olympics year, let’s hope that we can have a games to match them, and perhaps who knows, someone may represent Great Britain at the 2112 Games in London.

2007 was an excellent year for our event with a very close competition, which was only decided on the last day, when LGFG emerged victorious.

During 2007 we continued to update our official website “Saddleworthvillageolympics.co.uk”, and this is now an excellent tool, giving dates of the events, information on each village, copies of the rules can be downloaded, as well as our official documentation, such as the child protection policy. We also have many thousands of excellent pictures taken by our official photographer at many of the events last year. These can also be purchased via the website

 

I hope that we will, as last year, be able to use Saddleworth School as a base, and together with  Oldham Sports Development we will be providing professional sporting coaches at the School to train those youngsters who would like to be involved.

The specific training programme and details can be found by visiting the Saddleworth Village Olympic website, or by contacting your village representative.
Last year Saddleworth had over 150 young people taking part in these organised sessions during the summer, and I hope this year we can substantially increase this number. Oldham Sports Development must be congratulated on the effort they put in, both during the summer, and also in providing volunteers to help us manage the events.

We will also, through our close relationship with Saddleworth Round Table  be providing commemorative medals to all those taking part, together with  presenting medals to those individuals or teams who have come 1st 2nd 3rd or 4th. These will be presented at the various Olympic discos after the games.

As I have already said, the games were a tremendous success in 2007, and I was very pleased to see that although competition was fierce, this did not detract from the spirit of friendship that has built up over the past 22 years between individuals and villages. I understand that training commenced in several villages in the spring, and already informal, inter-village matches have been taking place, so I look forward to some memorable competitions in September.  Many additional competitions are taking place this year within Saddleworth with teams made up of young people (and their parents), who met during the games, and have continued to enjoy the friendly atmosphere that the games support.

At school children take part in sporting activities as a part of the National Curriculum, but only a few make the school team and hence participate at a higher level. For those who are less able, but who still enjoy the competitive element of sport, the village games give them an excellent opportunity to compete against those of similar ability. Many of the young competitors also make new friends prior to their sometimes daunting move into secondary education.

 

At the opening ceremony one of the competitors from Diggle will take the following “Saddleworth Olympic Oath” on behalf of all the competitors: -

‘We promise to take part in these games as individual competitors and team members. Playing by the rules, winning with pride, losing with grace and making friends along the way: in the hope that, through sport, we will help strengthen our community spirit.’

On behalf of all the management committee, I hope you all have a thoroughly enjoyable time

Ben Hilton