School Sports Report - from PembrokeshireSport.co.uk

School badminton competition is a smash!

Young Badminton players from across Pembrokeshire took part in the second annual 5 x 60 Inter School Badminton competition at Tenby Leisure Centre on Sunday, 10th April, with over 50 pupils from six of the County’s secondary schools taking part.

The event, which received sponsorship from Chevron’s ‘Energy for Learning’ programme, was organised by Phil Gwyther, Welsh Badminton Union Development Officer, working in conjunction with the schools’ 5 x 60 Officers.

Pembroke power home

Pupils from Ysgol Bro Gwaun, Ysgol Dewi Sant, Sir Thomas Picton, Tasker Milward, Greenhill and Pembroke competed in a pairs format.

The competition winners, by the narrowest of margins, were Pembroke School with Sir Thomas Picton School and Ysgol Dewi Sant joint runners-up.

Administered by Sport Pembrokeshire - the sports development arm of Pembrokeshire County Council - the 5 x 60 project aims to encourage secondary school pupils to take part in extra curricular activities, while getting fit at the same time.

Cllr Rob delighted

Councilor Rob Lewis, Cabinet member for Sport and Leisure said that as part of the project, school badminton clubs had now been set up in most of the county’s secondary schools.

“Badminton is an extremely popular 5 x 60 club as shown by the turn out at Sunday’s competition,” he said.

Russell Jones, 5x60 Manager for Sport Pembrokeshire, said badminton engaged large number of girls and boys in healthy exercise – some of whom would not normally take part in sport.

“The standard of play was high and the matches were keenly contested. Everyone had a very enjoyable day,” he said.