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Midnight Teenage Kicks
A Friday night project has taken young
people off the streets and put a football at their feet.
The GAME ON Midnight Leagues have seen almost 200 young people
participate in weekly football sessions at Robin Park Arena and Lowton
High School.
Since February, 12 to 16 year-olds from across the borough have been
taking part in the free scheme, which drew to a close on Friday (April
25th) with a finals night at Robin Park.
The under-14 final was a tense affair with Hindley FC beating the
Worsley Hall Sharpshooters thanks to two late goals, while Wigan Youth
overcame Lowton Latics with a 2-0 victory in the under-16 final.
Community Cultural Olympiad Champion Trevor Barton presented trophies to
both the winning teams and medals were awarded to all participants.
Hindley FC, Lowton Latics and Wigan Youth will now go on to represent
Wigan Borough in the regional finals at Bolton Arena on 31st May.
Phil Bowdler of Wigan Youth said “I’ve really enjoyed travelling up to
Robin Park Arena every other Friday and playing in the Midnight Leagues
against people from all over Wigan. To be champions of Wigan is really
wicked and we can't wait to get stuck in to all the other North West
teams at the finals."
GAME ON Midnight Leagues are held across the country with the Wigan
Leisure and Culture Trust Sports Development Team receiving a grant of
£4,200 from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to run them locally.
Originally based on the Basketball Midnight Leagues in the US, the
scheme encourages some of the most at risk young people in coalfield
areas to engage in a positive activity in the evenings through organised
football leagues at community facilities.
Craig Anthony, Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust Sports Development Events
Delivery Officer, said: “The Midnight Leagues are great exercise and
they give teenagers something to do on a Friday night in a safe
environment away from any potential trouble. Providing young people with
this type of opportunity keeps them fit, healthy and doing something
positive. This is greatly beneficial to local communities in the short
and long-term.”
The GAME ON Midnight Leagues are part of the Wigan Leisure and Culture
Trust Sport Development Team’s new Community Competition Programme
aiming to provide regular opportunities for young people to compete
against their peers from across the borough.
The new scheme will include a special one-off Midnight Leagues Inclusion
Event for girls and young people with a disability on 9th May and a
touch rugby project that begins in June.
The weekly GAME ON Midnight Leagues will start up again in February
2009. Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust has been supported by several
partner agencies in the delivery of the midnight football project
including Wigan and Leigh Housing, Wigan Council Children and Young
People’s Services (CYPS) and Greater Manchester Police. Wigan Athletic
FC also backed the project by giving away 150 match tickets to young
people taking part.
For further information on the Wigan Borough GAME ON Midnight Leagues
and how to get involved in touch rugby contact Craig Anthony, Wigan
Leisure and Culture Trust Community Sports Development Officer, on
(01942) 404956.
-ends-
Notes to Editors
Photo attached
• Please find attached photographs of the GAME ON Midnight Leagues Wigan
Borough winners. Hindley FC under-14s pictured with (from l to r) Trevor
Barton (Community Cultural Olympiad Champion) and Craig Anthony (Sports
Development Events Delivery Officer). Wigan Youth under-16s pictured
with (from l to r) Craig Anthony (Sports Development Events Delivery
Officer), Trevor Barton (Community Cultural Olympiad Champion) and Karen
Freeman (CYPS Youth Worker).
Further information
• For further information please contact Kennedy Stewart, Wigan Youth
Information Team Press Officer, on (01942) 486927.
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