Calling all young sports enthusiasts!

Register online for the P&G Surrey Youth Games 2015

Registration for young sports enthusiasts aged 7-16 years for this year’s P&G Surrey Youth Games is live online at www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/surreyyouthgames 

It’s an opportunity to be part of Team Epsom & Ewell at the Games which take place on the 20 and 21 June at the Surrey Sports Park in Guildford. 

In the 2014 Games, Team Epsom & Ewell won the Highest Number of Entries Award and in 2013, won the coveted Borough Trophy for the first time. We are once again looking for budding and talented athletes to build on our successes. 

The Games offer young people the chance to participate in sport with a focus on attracting new people to different sports. This may include young people who do not currently take part in any sport including those who have an aptitude for a sport they may have never thought about trying. 

The Games are a unique opportunity for young people to try a new sport and represent their Borough in a fantastic venue; within a couple of months of training! Sporting festivals like these are usually reserved for the elite. This makes the Surrey Youth Games a very special event. They are the perfect opportunity to get involved in a new sport and experience competition in a fun, supportive environment. 

Playing different sports helps to develop different skills and physical capabilities; this can help improve abilities, both in sport and in other aspects of their life. It is also a chance to meet new people, make new friends and sow the seeds for a healthy lifestyle. 

This year there are a wide variety of sports on offer including basketball, badminton, boccia, non-contact boxing, contact boxing, girl’s cricket, girl’s football, hockey, lacrosse, netball, girl’s rugby, swimming, squash, table tennis and tennis and a new addition to 2015, touchtennis.   

Councillor Jan Mason, Chairman of the Leisure Committee, said: "The P&G Surrey Youth Games is a fun and inclusive way of encouraging people to take part in competitive sport. We hope this year more young people will register to take part to represent the Borough at this prestigious sporting event. 

“It is a great opportunity for young people to try a new sport, or to improve their skills by taking part in high quality free coaching sessions. It is a great weekend for everyone and the young people really enjoy themselves, make new friends and get to try a sport that they may not have had a go at before.” 

In preparation for the main competition weekend, free trials and coaching sessions will commence after the Easter holidays. The Team Manager’s in each sport will then be selecting their squads to represent the Borough at the finals weekend. The Team Epsom & Ewell squad is once again sponsored by Better, and will be taking on the 10 other Surrey Boroughs and Districts for a chance to become P&G Surrey Youth Games champions!  

To be eligible to represent the Borough at the Games, you must live or go to school in the Borough and be of sub-county level in your chosen sport. 

Last year 453 young people from Epsom & Ewell took advantage of free coaching sessions and 211 young people were selected to represent the Borough at the Games. All coaches are qualified and have links with local clubs. This means young people who register and take part will also have an opportunity to continue playing their sport(s) after the Games have finished. Recent success in the Surrey Youth Games has provided a sporting legacy for young people in the Borough as Epsom & Ewell have been able to develop new junior sections. This has included the establishing of a junior Basketball club as well as new girls sections in local Football and Rugby clubs. 

If you are too old to compete in the Games, there are plenty of volunteer opportunities to get involved with which means you enjoy the prestige of the Games whilst supporting our Borough. 

For more information and to register online visit www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/surreyyouthgames. To find out about volunteering opportunities contact the Council's Leisure Development's Team on 01372 732000 or email leisuredevelopmentsteam@epsom-ewell.gov.uk

Information from Epsom & Ewell Council