Specsavers Surrey Youth Games: hundreds take part

Team Reigate & Banstead sent its biggest contingent to the competition so far - 247 took part. The borough had so many participants that it provided other areas with players for joint teams. The young people, aged seven to 16, competed against teams from the 10 other Surrey boroughs and districts across 14 sports and scooped a fantastic 14 medals at the event which took place on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 June.

Team spirit

“Our young people have absolutely embraced participating in this year’s Specsavers Surrey Youth Games, committing themselves to training and supporting their team mates throughout,” says Councillor Ros Mill, Reigate & Banstead’s Executive Member for Leisure and Wellbeing. “Specsavers Surrey Youth Games is all about getting more young people into sport, in particular trying sports they have not played before, so to have so many participants this year is great news for our young people’s wellbeing.”

Team Reigate & Banstead came second overall in the medals table, taking home seven gold medals, two silvers and five bronze in sports including squash, touch tennis, swimming and lacrosse.

Thanks to volunteers and sponsors

The borough’s two under-11 netball teams played each other in the semi-finals, with the first team going on to take gold and the second team winning bronze in the play-offs. Councillor Mill explains: “None of our netball players were club level so it was a truly fantastic introduction to competitive sport outside of school and a credit to the quality of the free training we provided with help from local volunteers. I’m very grateful to our sponsors, GLL and Osborne, and the many volunteers and coaches from all the sports who worked so hard for our young people.”

Other sports included badminton, non-contact boxing, hockey, judo, football and rugby, among others. Participants came from all across the borough, including Banstead and nearby villages, Horley, Redhill and Reigate.

Reigate & Banstead Borough Council provides free training each spring for Specsavers Surrey Youth Games, encouraging as many young people to sign up as possible. It enters teams across numerous sports to the competition which is organised by Active Surrey. 

Reigate & Banstead entered teams in various age and gender categories in the following sports in this years Specsavers Surrey Youth Games: badminton, boccia, boxing (non-contact), football, hockey, judo, lacrosse, netball, netball high 5, rugby, squash, swimming, table tennis, tennis, touchtennis.