Matalan and the Youth Sport Trust
BSUK Partnership Initiative:
BaseballSoftballUK is currently working in partnership with clothing retailers Matalan and the Youth Sport Trust to deliver softball in secondary schools through the Matalan yoUR Activity initiative, part of the Matalan Sporting Promise.
Through the Matalan yoUR Activity programme, BSUK is helping secondary schools in the North West, London and the South East to deliver softball activity to young people.
BSUK has developed specific resources for the programme in the form of an interactive DVD that supports training directed at school staff and young people. The aim is to get more young people at secondary level involved in leading and coaching softball sessions and creating out-of-hours clubs to grow participation in the sport.
Softball is one of only nine sports involved in this programme, which aims to expand to more than 400 schools in 2012. The others are parkour, ultimate frisbee, orienteering, street cheer, dodgeball, rowing, jump rope and tchoukball.
Matalan Sporting Promise Programme Ambassador Sir Steve Redgrave defined the aims of the programme when he said: “Matalan yoUR Activity concentrates on secondary schools and on young people who may not want to do traditional mainstream sports.”
BSUK sees the Matalan Sporting Promise initiative as a way of engaging a whole new generation of young players with softball. A further benefit is that BBF and BSF adult members will be able benefit from Matalan discount offers.
For more information visit www.matalansportingpromise.co.uk.
