"Sport's not just for the elite"

Tuesday 14 January 2020

The Guernsey Sports Commission is taking steps to make local sport more inclusive, giving people from all backgrounds the opportunity to thrive.

Currently, diversity in Guernsey sport doesn't reflect that of the population.

The organisation is looking to change that as part of its five year action plan, which was announced last week.

"Inclusion has been a big topic in the community, in education and also in sport over the last few years," said Performance Director, Jeremy Frith. "It is important for us that sport reflects our entire community and if you look at our sports awards, that’s not always the case."

Pictured: The Guernsey Sports Commission.

The Commission aims to develop an inclusion policy, while supporting other sports organisations to create their own.

"There’s something we look at called the Inclusion Spectrum," explained Mr Frith. "In sport, it’s not always possible for everyone to play exactly the same role depending on a number of factors that may impact on them. However, there should be a way that everyone can be part of it.

"It’s looking at a spectrum of inclusion as to how people can be involved, recognising that it’s not always possible for everyone to be involved in the same way all of the time. It’s looking at policy, making sure the sports have got their own policy, making sure sports understand what inclusion is."

The Commission's team in primary schools has already started work on the project, speaking with teachers to identify children that might face barriers to sport, whether they be financial, disability or relationship-related.

Pictured: The Commission represents many different sports locally.

"What we're trying to do, particularly in primary, is really start to understand on an individual basis," Mr Frith continued. "What are people’s barriers to participation and what stops them competing? Often we think about money but it could be transport, it could be a variety of factors.

"For us it’s getting to know individuals, getting to know barriers."

The organisation is developing information for local clubs on how to reframe competition so it's not purely measured by one outcome.

"One of the things we really want to do is encourage everybody," added Sports Commission Chairman, Jon Ravenscroft. "Sport is not just for the elite, it's for everybody and we really hope a lot of people who've been a bit hesitant and reticent to participate in sport will come out of their shell, knock on our door and we'll give them the opportunity to do so.

"That's our passion and that's our remit."