Cheswardine Primary School pupils and staff are singing ‘We Are The Champions’ this week after success in a north Shropshire schools sports competition.
A team of eight Year Three and Four pupils showed their sporting skills at Shropshire Council’s Superstar Tournament for primary schools, held in Ellesmere last week.
Cheswardine was one of four schools from the county to reach the final of the competition after qualifying from heats held at Market Drayton’s Grove School last month.
The team of eight and nine-year-olds displayed their talents in five sports, including golf, football and hockey, before a target practice challenge where the children had to throw down a set of cricket stumps.
Cheswardine came first with 46 points after the final event, a six-person athletics relay, and their success comes after reaching the final last year at their first attempt.
Teacher Ruth Argyle said: “Sports coaches came in to do the training for six weeks during the autumn term last year and I went out and saw what they were doing so I could carry it on.
“We have kept practicing every now and again since then, so the children were very excited, hyped up and ready to win.
“They were eager to bring the trophy back because they would get extra playtime and we are very proud of our achievement in this competition.”
The school’s victory was celebrated at a special presentation assembly last Thursday where the children were taught about teamwork, cooperation and the importance of continuing to practice their skills.
Miss Argyle said: “The kids love it because the competition has activities they don’t normally do in PE lessons and we had some loyal parents who took the children to Ellesmere last Wednesday.
“The relay was a challenge because they all wanted to take part in it, but the kids worked well together, encouraged each other, participated well and achieved their goal.
“The competition has been opened up to Year One and Two children and they have been trainingthis week, so maybe they will follow in Year Three and Four’s footsteps.”
By Winston Brown