Hundreds of children have started training towards the Sporting Club Manx Youth Games, on the same day that the 2022 event was officially launched in Douglas.
The Island’s largest multi-sport event sees young people take part in a series of regional training sessions, before putting their skills into action on the big day on 7 May.
In the coming months, Manx Sport and Recreation will host more than 50 weekly get-togethers for children to try one of 14 sports, including a multi-sport offering for those with additional needs, all made possible by an army of volunteers.
Meanwhile, the launch event at the National Sports Centre was attended by many of those who make it possible including trained sport co-ordinators and previous participants.
It also saw the new sponsor unveil the event’s new eco-friendly shirts made from recycled plastic bottles, which will be worn this year.
As a Biosphere partner, Sporting Club Isle of Man plans to build sustainable solutions into the Games over the next three years, such as programmes printed on recycled paper and water bottles made from sustainably sourced sugarcane.
Tony Keating, Chairman of Sporting Club, said:
‘We are proud to support this event which has been an important part of the Island’s community for 20 years, and want to embrace all the hard work undertaken already to help it develop further.’
Julie Edge MHK, Minister of Education, Sport and Culture, said:
‘The Games provide our young people with the perfect opportunity to try new sports, make friendships and see the benefits of getting active for physical and emotional wellbeing. It also instils important values such as team work and discipline and I am confident, with our new sponsor on board, it will continue to go from strength-to-strength.’
More than 20,000 young people have taken part in the Games since it was first held in 2002.
