University of East London Homepage

UEL students on the lookout for the next generation of Paralympians

Thursday 17 June 2010

Paralympic hopefuls

Sports Development students from the University of East London got out of the classroom and into the Newham Leisure Centre this week to help identify the next generation of Paralympians.

Young disabled people from schools across the nine boroughs of East London attended the event which is part of the national ‘Playground to Podium’ talent identification programme run by the English Federation of Disability Sport. As well as giving young people a chance to try new sports, the day is also an opportunity for sport organisations to identify individuals with potential to compete at elite, club and social levels.

Four students from UEL were on hand to offer encouragement, one-to-one coaching and advice on basketball, table tennis, football, athletics and wheelchair sports. Ugo Nacaro, Soo Cole, Dean Gilder and Naz Samuels all agree that its very rewarding to work with young people to help them achieve their goals.

The event is a unique opportunity for students to gain valuable experience working with young people before they move into teaching, coaching or development roles. Jane Ithier-Aimee, a 2009 graduate who was involved in the event last year, played a key role in the organisation of the event and says she enjoys working to make the event

UEL Principal Lecturer Richard Hunt says: “UEL students are keen to work with young people of all abilities and are dedicated to helping young disabled people reach their potential. A number of our students have gone on to gain employment working with disabled people, helping to meet the demand for motivated and qualified individuals in this area.

UEL offers a range of courses in sport coaching, development, exercise science, fitness and health. For more information about studying at UEL, visit www.uel.ac.uk.

University of East London: London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Office

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

Information for screenreader users:

For a general description of these pages and an explanation of how they should work with screenreading equipment please follow this link: Link to general description

For further information on this web site’s accessibility features please follow this link: Link to accessibility information