Nicholas Craig column

Apr 8 2005 By Nicholas Craig, The Journal

The Sports Newcastle charity dinner took place recently. It not only honoured the cream of North-East sports stars but the best of young sporting talent with 13 awards to `Rising Stars'.

Teenagers who excel in their fields took the stage at the same ceremony that honoured the region's best-known sports stars, including Steve Harmison and paralympic gold medallist Stephen Miller.

It is tremendous to see the next generation of sporting stars being rewarded at such a prestigious event. We really need to invest as much as we can to ensure youngsters have ample opportunity to play sport - and that means protecting our playing fields, and extending some of the excellent facilities we have to all-comers.

The playing fields of England. Where are they now? Many are full of houses, sold to developers by cash-strapped schools.

Without these green spaces sports in schools suffers, and ultimately business loses out. Apart from better health and fitness, the team building, networking and competitive aspects interlink with qualities needed for successful future careers.

As a keen player and watcher of sport throughout my life, I have played against teams throughout the region and the country, and appreciate how sport breaks down barriers. Team colleagues have become real friends.

Sport is a huge business. Look at the surge of sports science degrees, the plethora of health clubs, the use of sport in corporate hospitality and management courses. To cut off the ability of the next generation to participate as fully as possible in a wide range of sports is crazy.

Business could play a part in helping schools hang on to their green fields. They could get involved with using them after school hours. Company sports teams search around for suitable training grounds, when there are many on their doorstep which could provide an ideal solution for schools and businesses.

I'm very impressed with the excellent facilities at Westgate Community College and Benfield School Sports College, which attract local residents of all ages. This accessible approach is one that should be mirrored at secondary schools throughout the region. It will help halt the terrifying statistics of children as young as 10 years being at risk of heart disease, and encourage many more of us to enjoy amateur sports throughout our lives.