The Liberty Press

Medway festival of sport

et on your tin hats and expect to dodge a few cricket balls as there

will be 4s and 6s galore in the inaugural 20twenty cup and kwik cricket tournament.

With the national team currently struggling in New Zealand, why not come and see some of Kent’s finest show how determination and application can put on imposing totals, take wickets and plunder attacks.

A spokesman for Meday festival of sport has said, ‘this is a fantastic opportunity to really showcase what Kent cricket is all about.

‘We of course have the senior team, led by Rob Key, but this is a chance to show how strong we are at a much more grassroots level.’

The 20twenty cup is being held on Sunday 26th and Monday 27th of May, while the Kwik Cricket tournament is being held on 20th June.

The Kwik Cricket tournament, hosted by mini youth games, involved more than 2,500 primary schools across Kent, but it has now been whittled down to just the top eight teams who will play at the night of champions.

The teams are: Hempstead, Balfour, St Margerets, Fairview, St Augustine of Canterbury, Hilltop,

Miers Court and Wainscott.Medway’s Portfolio Holder for

Community Services Cllr Howard Doe said: “As part of Medway’s unfolding sporting legacy in the wake of the London 2012 Games, we will continue to focus on providing opportunities for people to take part in sport from an early age. The Mini Youth Games provides children in Medway a fantastic opportunity to compete at some our first class sporting facilities, while learning the values of fair play. I congratulate the schools that have taken part so far and wish all of our young people every success in this year’s events.”

It promises to be a great night for everyone involved.

CoNteNts

Tour de Kent

P. 3 - Kent’s new cycling eventP. 3 - Giving life to Kent cyclingP. 4,5 - 200 miles for life-

saving heart screening

The Liberty Press

thelibertypress.co.uk/medwayfestivalofsport

Editor Joshua Morl

Sub-Editor Declan OlleyContributors Bill Topping Dan Sampayo Jack Reed Ben Wright Rik Clarke Carlo Boffa

Cricket

P. 2 - 20Twenty cup and Kwikcricket tournament

Football

P. 6 - Woodlands primary school aim for cup success

Table Tennis

P. 6 - Grand prix hopes to make impact in Medway

Rugby

P. 7 - Broncos return promises exhilirating clash with Warrington Wolves

Wheelchair Rugby

P. 7 - World Cup comes to Medway Park as England hope to defend their crown

Basketball

P. 8 - Balfour Junior School target to continue unbeaten run and claim Night of Champions cup

Festival Calendar

P. 8 - Cut-out events calendar

NINE months have passed since the end of what we can all agree was one of, if not the most, momentous and legendary summers of sport.

I for one feel that I have gone cold turkey from world class sport and I am

in desperate need of a pick me up. The Medway Festival of Sport could be just what I, and many other sports fans need.

Three months of diverse sport with participating athletes travelling from all over the globe is reminiscent of our Olympic summer last year.

With a programme of sports running from mid-May to late July it promises to quench anyone thirst for a summer of cricket, football, rugby and international wheelchair rugby to name a few.

Launching on the 18 May with the Open Leisure Weekend and the Race for Life, the Festival will offer over 30 sporting events, ending with the localy famous Medway Mile, which returns for the seventh year in a row.

But what makes this year stand out above the rest is the attempt to encourage the young generation to take up a fancied Olympic sport, with extra effort going into the organisation and marketing of the Mini Youth Games (MYG).

Most events will provide fans with the oppurtunity to try out a sport for themselves, such as Wheelchair Rugby World Cup - which hopes to attract the largest crowds the international cup has ever seen.

For more information with regards to events and ticket sales contact Medway Council on:

01634 338763 or by email: medwaysport@medway.gov.uk

Medway festival of sport 2013 is a chance to live the olympic legacy

Cricket aims to support grassrootsG

Councillor Howard Doe says focus is now on supporting children in sport from an early age

tour de Kent: Hundreds of cyclists to ride across Kent

n May, cyclists of all abilities will be completing 200 miles in three days as the first Tour de Kent takes place,

raising money for charities Take Heart Mercy Mission and Cardiac Risk in the Young.

Organiser Roger Maddams has been taken aback by the support he has already received.

“I have to restrict the 3 day option to 115 riders as I physically cannot get more hotel rooms co-ordinated in the overnight stop towns. My initial idea was 50...I upped it to 80...now I am “Hotelled-out” at 115” Mr Maddams said.

The stunning response Mr Maddams has had for the event proves to him that the feel good factor surrounding British cycling is very much still in tact.

He said: “Definitely. British Cycling membership is going through the roof, the number of bike retailers on line (eg Wiggle, Chain Reaction, Evans) shows the growth in participation numbers, the growing “ease” of commuting in London with schemes such as the blue bike lanes and even the Boris Bikes shows that more people want alternatives to getting stuck in grinding traffic in London.”

And Mrs Drew a teaching assistant from

Gillingham who has signed up for the race would agree. She thinks the cycling bug has bitten everyone, even those more comfortable on four wheels.

“Oh definitely, You only have to look on our roads to see the increase in cyclists, I also think it’s raised awareness with drivers too, they do seem to be very patient with me anyway! Cycling had a terrible name in the world of Sport, but I think along with the Olympics, the Tour de France and Bradley Wiggins have had a phenomenal effect on the British public. I’ve just read Victoria Pendleton’s autobiography and found it inspirational” she said.

Mrs Drew, has little experience in cycling and Tour de Kent promises to push her to the limit. The event will tour football grounds in Kent and Mrs Drew is keen to avoid becoming overwhelmed by the idea of 200 miles in three days.

She said: “Mentally I’m only thinking club to club, if I think 60 miles days one, 80 miles day two and 60 miles day three then it blows my mind a bit. There are 7 of us as friends doing this challenge, so I’m very excited to be part of the team. I’m excited about the challenge.”

i

The 115 cyclists riding in the 3 day challenge

will wear these specially designed jerseys

tour de Kent: in memory of Jack p. 4 and 5

i

115 cyclists will gruel 3 days of riding to cycle

over 200 miles - raising money for charities

tour de Kent: encouraging new riders

Back

Front

n 2007 the Tour de France came to Kent drawing in thousands of fans from all over the county.May’s Tour de Kent will be one of the

few cycling events in the county since the event but Fred Atkins, author of Tour de Kent, feels it has done little to improve uptake in road cycling.

“Road racing as a sport doesn’t really exist in Kent,” he said.

“There is a League but they race on Sundays and there are only about 80-100 people in it and half of them are from the South East anyway rather than Kent.

“I don’t see any road racing culture starting up in the county,” he added.

Every Tour de France there are injuries. Last year included broken shins, collarbones, spines; not to mention the odd perforated lung, and that is on traffic free roads.

And Atkins feels the sport is too dangerous for people to suddenly pick up and take seriously.

He said: “A lot of it is to do with the traffic. There are great places to cycle in Kent, there are lots of places you can ride but road racing is not something

you necessarily want to encourage people to do.”Contrary to Kerry Drew’s experiences (above

story), Atkins feels the biggest battle in improving participation is changing the minds of car drivers.

“The biggest single thing would be the attitude of drivers towards cyclists. People actually think that cyclists aren’t entitled to be on the road because cyclists don’t drive as well or pay tax.

“There are so many ridiculous arguments that you hear from people and it’s unnecessary because most cyclists drive as well.”

As with everything, however, Atkins acknowledges that there are those cyclists who tarnish the reputation of the majority.

Sighting his own experiences, he said: “There are some cyclists that do take the piss with their road safety, when it comes to jumping out in front of traffic lights.

“I did this 100 mile ride with Tony Doyle who’s a former cycling World Champion and its like being at the back of a kamakazi plane, he was just weaving in and out of traffic as if it was not there, you can do that but sooner or later its going to catch up with you and you’re going to crash.”

“

”

The first indication that anybody may well be a carrier of any of these conditions is tragically sudden death

tour de Kent200 mile route

Highlights

Start Priestfield Stadium

Home of Gillingham FC

Day 1Shepherd Neame Stadium

Faverhsam Town FC

Overnight StayHartsdown Park

Margate FC

Day 2Southwood Stadium

Ramsgate FC

ack Maddams was a promising young footballer from Kent. Some of his former teammates have gone on to

represent their country at senior level but Jack’s progression was cut tragically short in March 2008 when the 17-year-old died of an undetected heart condition. Five years on and Jack’s father Roger, is campaigning to raise money to fund screenings for the young which could be life saving. In May, the inaugural Tour de Kent, organised by Roger will commence, raising money for charities Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) and Take Heart Mercy Mission.

Speaking about Jack, Roger said: “Jack was a super fit young sportsman just off to University to study Fine Art and who represented E n g l a n d S c h o o l b o y s , Kent Schools, Gillingham and Tonbridge Angels in his short football career, playing with friends such as Chris Smalling of Manchester United and Ryan Bertrand of Chelsea. Jack was at Tonbridge when he died; the club have renamed a stand as the Jack Maddams Stand in his honour.”

Jack was one of 12 young people who die every year from undetectable heart problems. The condition is the same as that which almost killed ex Bolton footballer Fabrice Muamba last year.

The majority of people with such heart conditions are unaware. Jo Hudson, from CRY emphasizes the importance of screenings.

“In 80% of cases there are no signs or symptoms. The first indication that anybody may well be a carrier of any of these conditions is very tragically sudden death which is why Cry have since 1995 campaigned and funded tirelessly for cardiac screening” she said.

The charity now screen around 12,000 people aged 14-35 a year. According to Mrs Hudson theses screenings will, “in the vast majority of cases be able to pick up if somebody who otherwise would look very fit and healthy are living with one of these potentially fatal heart conditions.”

Mr Maddam’s campaigning since Jack’s death has already made a difference according to Kerry Drew a teaching assistant from Gillingham who has signed up to the bike ride.

“I have no connections with the charities but when I saw it was Roger Maddams that was arranging it, I remember being touched by the story of his son Jack. It’s one of those stories that your heart goes out to them. I’ve since heard of many of my friend’s son’s who have been tested because of the charity. I’m a bit believer in being proactive rather than reactive and C-R-Y is certainly that” she said.

One person who has benefitted from similar screenings is G i l l i n g h a m F.C player Jack Sellers.

Sellers had excess skin around the heart and was helped by doctors at the Take Heart Mercy Mission, the other

charity being supported by the Tour de Kent.As well as providing heart screenings for

Gillingham’s footballers, the charity funds trips for voluntary surgeons and doctors to visit Sri Lanka and operate on children who would otherwise die from their heart conditions.

The link between the charity and the football club was established when Gillingham Chairman Paul Scally’s son, Eliot, died with a heart condition in 2004.

Charlie Mitten, form Take Heart Mercy Mission said: “Further down the line it’s not going to be just in Sri Lanka its going to be about developing it in countries around the world that don’t have the facilities to fix heart problems.”

Such screenings that have saved the lives of Jack Sellers and could have prevented the premature deaths of Jack Maddams and Eliot Scally act as the motivation for Tour de Kent organiser Mr Maddams.

“It is to raise money for more simple, painless, yet not widely available screenings across Kent. I am working as hard as I can to get the Tour de Kent as successful as possible” he said.

J

tour de Kent: 200 miles forlife-saving heart screenings

The 200 mile Tour de Kent will prove to be a gruelling challenge for cyclists of all abilities

FinishPriestfield Stadium

Gillingham FC

Day 2The Homelands Ashford United

Overnight StayGallagher Stadium Maidstone United

Day 3Longmead Stadium

Tonbridge Angels FC

Day 3Stonebridge Road

Ebbsfleet United FC

Jack represented the england schoolboys, playing with friends like Chris smalling of Manchester United and ryan Bertrand of Chelsea

“

”

Bill topping reports on Kent’s new cycling event

6 Medway Festival of Sport The Liberty Press

footBall

taBle teNNis

kentfa.com June 1 - Medway MastersJune 2 - Women’s Tournament

May 23 - MYG Champions League

kctta.co.ukJune 24 - MYG Night of Champions

June 9 - Grand Prix

THE celebration of sport in Medway taking place during the summer months also includes the nation’s favorite sport, football.

There are three football events taking place during the Festival of sport across May and June.

It all kicks off with the Medway Youth League Champions League.

Football is the most popular of all the Medway Youth League events

with around 45 schools competing. The Medway Youth League is an

inter-school competition covering different sports with over 2,500 primary school pupils ages four, five and six competing.

Each team taking part will be allocated a huge club from the world of European football and then compete in a knockout tournament resembling the Champions League.

The action will take place at

the Anchorian Sports Ground in Gillingham.

Mike Styles, a year three teacher from Woodlands Primary School in Gillingham said: “It’s a great day for the kids and for the coaches as well. It’s a great chance for the kids to take part in competition.”

Woodlands Primary School (left in white) were runners up in the same event last year.

“Of course it would be lovely to go one better but the most important thing is everyone has a great day playing football,” Styles said.

There is a Medway Masters football tournament which will take place on the June 1

This is open to over 35s and gives them the chance to relive their football glory days.

The following day sees women’s football take the main stage as they will play a tournament at the Garrison Ground in Gillingham.

BY JACK REED

tiMe for footBall to taKe a BaCK seatWITH only three of the 30 Medway Festival of Sport events being football, does this represent the changing of the guard?

As a seasoned veteran of lower league and non-league football, I have always loved the beautiful game. The problem with football, though, means other sports in the community get pushed to one side and that’s why I’m delighted that these sports will be getting more exposure this summer.

The resounding success of the London 2012 Olympic Games has been a trailblazer in turing the spotlight on other sports and this summer it’s time for Medway’s young sportspeople to dream of being Mo Farah rather than David Beckham.

THE final stage of the table tennis Grand Prix is coming to Medway this June, promising a mouth-watering clash of the titans.

Medway Park, in Gillingham, will host the event which will ultimately decide who will take the top all-British, tournament title.

Last season’s winner Ryan Jenkins, of Wales, is currently sitting in third place behind Paul Mcreery and Chris

BY RIK CLARKEDoran in the men’s singles, while the women’s runner up Karina Le Fevre is keeping the pace in the absence of last year’s runaway winner Yuko Tsuji.

The open tournament is one of twelve events in the ETTA Grand Prix circuit which build an aggregate score for the season. The player with the highest total points from each leg of the circuit receives the grand prize of £11,000.

Diccon Gray, national competitions and events manager at the English Table Tennis Association, believes the event will provide plenty of “surprises and upsets” because of the nature of the tournament.

“It’s an open tournament so anybody can sign up. We’ve had sixty new players this year so far and I think it helps that many of the events will be decided on the day. I’m encouraged by the uptake.”

The prestigious Grand Prix circuit is the top all-British event for table tennis players and is a vital stepping stone for players looking to progress to the international stage.

Evidence of the circuit’s importance could be seen at the London 2012 Olympic Games with the unseeded Brit Paul Drinkhall (left) beating top 30 player Zang Yi off the back of a good Grand Prix performance to make an unexpected run to the fourth round.

GraNd priX Gets GraNd sUpport

RAINHAM based table tennis coach Mike Smith has welcomed the Grand Prix event with open arms.

He said: “As a coach, it’s all well and good telling the kids how to play their shots and what they should do but it doesn’t come close to seeing the real thing, seeing the professionals execute them.”

Mike also spoke of the lack of table tennis coverage on television .

Jamie Diddams, meanwhile, an 18-year-old table tennis player from Upchurch said of the event: “I’ve never been to a proper table tennis match before but as it’s right on my doorstep I’m going. and I can see it inspiring

The Liberty Press Medway Festival of Sport 7

rUGBy

wHeelCHair rUGBy

kent-rugby.org

gbwr.org.uk

CoMpetitioN for Medway’s disaBledTHE annual Medway Disability Youth Games will also be held this summer, with children from Medway’s special schools and units all competing.

The games will consist of both a winter games - held at Chatham Ski and Snowboard Centre on 25 April - and a summer games which Medway Park will host on 27 June where events will include: archery, boccia, and goalball.

The £11m centre at Medway Park was the training camp for eight Paralympic teams last summer.

Organisers, though, will not want a repeat of 2010 when the Disability Youth Games were postponed after a power cut.

THE BIGGEST event of the summer sees Medway Park hosting the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup as England (above) look to defend their crown against France, Australia, Malta, Scotland and Wales.

England team manager, Martin Coyd, believes his side has what it takes to lift the trophy again. “They can all play, they’re all good athletes,

they’re all good people.“If we’re gonna win, it’s the smart

things that will make the difference, it’s the attention to detail. Somebody will do the genius play. They’ve got the confidence to do the genius play.”

One player who’s more excited than most is Rochester-born Nick Brookes, who is hopeful of lifting the World Cup trophy in his hometown. “I just can’t be more passionate about it really. It’s just been such an

opportunity that it’s done this way and if we can play international rugby on our home turf, it’s just going to be something else.”

Medway Park recently hosted an autumn international between England and France where a record-breaking crowd of 700 people watched France beat the hosts 43-22.

Tournament organisers hope that up to 1,000 people will watch the matches this summer, despite Rugby League being a predominantly northern sport.

Coach Mark Roughsedge also believes that the sport just needs more exposure. “There’s not many people that go away disappointed from looking at wheelchair rugby league. The more people we can expose the sport to, the better for us obviously.

The tournament starts on July 4 with the final set for July 13.

June 7 & 9 - Rugby League StampedeJune 8 - Bronco vs. Warringtons

May 21 - MYG Tag Rugby

May 23 - SSG Rugby League

July 13 - World Cup FinalJuly 4 - World Cup Starts

BY SAM THOMPSON

BY BEN WRIGHT

SUPER league rugby action returns to Medway in June of this year’s Medway Festival of Sport.

London Broncos (above) will once again be playing at the home of Gillingham FC, Priestfield Stadium, as they face top three side Warrington Wolves.

The 13 man code will enjoy a great weekend of sport in Medway as the Broncos game slots in to the middle

of a Rugby League Stampede.From the 7 to the 9 of June local

youth, school and adult teams will compete over three days aimed to increase the interest of the sport within the Southern regions of the UK.

Broncos’ player development, coach Sam Druce, said the event was key to getting more fans accustomed to the Northern favoured code of rugby after disappointing ticket sales

this season.“It’s really important for us to

educate people about our sport. In the North it’s clear the Union is dying and that’s something that needs to be addressed, but with the amount of money in the South League has the potential to become just as big as Union is down here.”

Details of the Rugby League stampede are yet to be released but it is hoped to spark enough interest that Priestfields could be a sell out.

“We’ve played at Priestfields before,” he said, “and the response we got was so welcoming it only made sense to return to Medway.”

Last year’s finalists Warrington Wolves came close to winning the Super League title against Leeds and Druce believes the fixture will pull fans in.

He said: “We really hope people will come out and watch their closest Super League team in a big clash.”

leGaCy Hoped for sCHool rUGBy

SECONDARY school pupils in the Medway area will be given the chance to compete in a Rugby League tournament on 13 June.

The tournament will take place days after the Rugby League Stampede long weekend, which will include Super League action from London Broncos and Warrington Wolves at Priestfield.

Gillingham’s Medway Dragons will be hosting the school tournament (SSG) in which it is hoped the involvement of schools will leave a lasting rugby legacy in Medway.

The tournament has been devised around the Rugby League World Cup which will be coming to England in autumn this year.

18 - Saturday Open Leisure Weekend (Page 2) 19 - Sunday Open Leisure Weekend (Page 2) 21 - Tuesday Night of Champions Hockey & Tag Rugby (Page 7) 23 - Thursday MYG Football Champions League (Page 6) 25 - Saturday Tour de Kent (Pages 3, 4 & 5) 26 - Sunday Medway 20Twenty Cup & Tour de Kent [Day 2] (Page 3) 27 - Monday 20Twenty Cup & Tour de Kent [Day 3] (Page 3)

1 - Saturday Medway Masters Football Tournament (Page 6) 2 - Sunday Women’s Football Tournament (Page 6) 7 - Friday Rugby League Stampede (Page 7) 8 - Saturday Broncos v Warrington & Table Tennis Grand Prix (Pages 7 & 6) 9 - Sunday Rugby League Stampede & Table Tennis Grand Prix (Pages 7 & 6) 13 - Thursday SSG Rugby League (Page 7) 20 - Thursday MYG Kwik Cricket (Page 3) 23 - Sunday Medway 10km (Page 8) 24 - Monday Night of Champions Badminton & Table Tennis (Page 6) 26 - Wednesday Night of Champions Basketball & Netball (Page 8) 27 - Thursday Disabled Youth Games [DYG] Summer Games SSG Rounders & Softball (Page 7)

2 - Tuesday Mini Youth Games [MYG] Athletics (Page 8) 4 - Thursday Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup [Day 1] (Page 7) 6 - Saturday Medway River Festival & Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup [Day 2] (Page 7) 8 - Monday Night of Champions Kwik Cricket (Page 3) 9 - Tuesday Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup [Day 3] (Page 7) 10 - Wednesday Primary Schools Rugby League World Cup (Page 7) 11 - Thursday Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup Semi-Finals SSG Athletics (Page 7) 13 - Saturday Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup Final (Page 7) 18 - Thursday ClubMark Club & Disability Club Taster Day 26 - Friday Medway Mile (Page 3)

MAY

BasKetBall kentsport.org/basketball June 26 - MYG Night of Champions

BY DECLAN OLLEY

FOR the first time, basketball will be held on the Mini Youth Games’ Night of Champions and it looks as if Balfour Junior School’s name is written on the cup.

The Chatham school won eight out of eight of their qualifiers to finish top of the standings ahead of this

June’s Night of Champions.Basketball was part of the Mini

Youth Games in 2007 but was axed after a lack of uptake from schools. This season, however, there was plenty of interest.

Twenty-four Medway primary schools took to the courts in January at Medway Park, Gillingham and

eight teams, including Balfour, (right) will return their in three months time to battle it out for the title.

Rochester’s Elaine Primary School, Rainham’s Fairview Junior School and St. Mary’s Island Primary School will be Balfour’s biggest challengers after they all lost one match in the qualifiers to the Chatham school.

JUNE

JULY