Laura’s Conference Highlights
Last week, the fourth Sport Wales Annual Conference took place at Cardiff City Stadium and saw nearly 250 decision makers come together to think innovatively and participate in edgy, challenging dialogues in order to tackle long-standing issues for sport in Wales.
His most poignant quote: “the strongest legacy had to be a successful Games but we must keep creating great opportunities to showcase sport and for people to take part in sport.” really hit home with me and the delegates alike. With just over a year to go until Glasgow 2014, this statement has never been so relevant.
The conference was an overwhelming success and these were just a few of my highlights – there were so many more that could have been mentioned.
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| Professor Laura McAllister |
Our Chair, Professor Laura McAllister blogs about her conference highlights:
The conference attracted some very high-profile and distinguished guests which was a fantastic reflection on our status as a small, smart, successful, sporting nation. The high-calibre delegates were supported by some fantastic key-note speakers, my highlights being:
1. Lord Sebastian Coe addresses the sector
London 2012 figurehead Lord Sebastian Coe visited Cardiff as part of a special visit to find out how sport is being developed in Wales. He addressed the delegates as Olympic and Paralympic Legacy Ambassador and reminded us how London 2012 grabbed the attention of young people, creating a legacy for future generations.
The positive effect seen in Wales by the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games has been so successful due to the sector for being ready with ‘legacy plans’ which have already led to some impressive early participation trends.
Lord Coe then went on to visit Fitzalan High School and along with myself and John Griffiths AM, was introduced to some of the young people inspired by events in London 2012.
Joining the children for a game of wheelchair basketball was a particular highlight for me – it was great to see first-hand how the growing enthusiasm for sport is having a positive impact in Wales, along with discussing tactics of course.
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| Wheelchair basketball |
2. John Griffiths AM, Minister for Culture and Sport
We welcomed John Griffiths AM to the stage– his debut address as Minister for Culture and Sport. John has a personal love of sport and exercise and he firmly believes in the positive impact that sport and culture can have on the people and the nation of Wales. He said that by tackling the hard issues, the Government will show leadership and through collective working will create a legacy that we can all be proud of.
“The value of and our collective investment in sport must be looked at in a broader context and we must continue to look for opportunities to be effective. We must also be better at demonstrating how effective we are and at convincing the people of Wales why sport and physical activity is important.”
I’m particularly pleased that the profile of sport has been raised in the Cabinet reshuffle. This is an important time for sport as we capitalise on events like the Olympics and Paralympics and look in-depth at PE and School Sport.
From his address, it was apparent that John will bring a drive and enthusiasm to the clear direction we have set out for the sports sector in Wales, which for me is very exciting.
3. The Young Ambassadors
The young ambassadors, as always, were on top-form. This year they lead their own breakout session ‘Inspiring a Generation’. Split into two parts, they firstly demonstrated how they are having an impact on our vision of getting ‘Every Child Hooked on Sport for Life’, then they went on to facilitate a panel on the importance of supporting YAs to unlock their full potential.
The feedback we had was fantastic, and I am so proud of their inspirational attitude towards increasing physical participation in young people across Wales. As Young Ambassadors, these young pupils have the opportunity to promote, develop and sell the benefits of sport in their school and community and are making such a positive difference to sport in Wales.
Watch this video made by the Young Ambassadors especially for our conference.
I hope each of the delegates left placing a personal pledge to redouble their efforts to help change our nation for the better. After all there is no room for passengers in our vision for sport. Wales' success on the sporting stage has made us a nation known worldwide for its sports stars, and we need to continue this momentum.
We must take what we learned from every conversation, every key-note address and every presentation given to inspire continued conversation on the power of leadership and legacy. We now need to act on these messages – let’s be ambitious and do things we may not have tried before, lets renew our efforts and change the nation for the better.
For more conference highlights, speech overviews and presentations visit our website: http://sportwales.org.uk/news--events/news--events/events/sport-wales-annual-conference-2013.aspx
Laura
Yr wythnos ddiwethaf, cynhaliwyd pedwaredd Cynhadledd Flynyddol Chwaraeon Cymru yn Stadiwm Dinas Caerdydd a gwelwyd bron i 250 o lunwyr penderfyniadau’n dod at ei gilydd i feddwl yn arloesol ac i gymryd rhan mewn trafodaethau heriol a chyfoes er mwyn mynd i’r afael â phroblemau tymor hir chwaraeon yng Nghymru.
Blog yw hwn gan ein Cadeirydd ni, yr Athro Laura McAllister, am ei huchafbwyntiau hi o’r gynhadledd:
Denodd y gynhadledd wahoddedigion anrhydeddus ac uchel iawn eu proffil, a oedd yn adlewyrchiad rhagorol o’n statws ni fel cenedl chwaraeon fechan, glyfar a llwyddiannus. Ategwyd y cynadleddwyr o galibr uchel gan rai prif siaradwyr rhagorol. Dyma fy uchafbwyntiau i:
1. Yr Arglwydd Sebastian Coe yn annerch y sector
Daeth pennaeth Llundain 2012, yr Arglwydd Sebastian Coe, i ymweld â Chaerdydd fel rhan o ymweliad arbennig i weld sut mae chwaraeon yn cael eu datblygu yng Nghymru. Aeth ati i annerch y cynadleddwyr fel Llysgennad yr Etifeddiaeth Olympaidd a Pharalympaidd, gan ein hatgoffa o sut bu i Lundain 2012 hoelio sylw pobl ifanc, gan greu etifeddiaeth ar gyfer cenedlaethau’r dyfodol.
Mae’r effaith gadarnhaol a welwyd yng Nghymru yn sgil Gemau Olympaidd a Pharalympaidd Llundain 2012 wedi bod mor llwyddiannus gan fod y sector wedi bod yn barod gyda ‘chynlluniau etifeddiaeth’, sydd eisoes wedi arwain at dueddiadau cymryd rhan cynnar nodedig tu hwnt.
Fe wnaeth ei ddyfyniad mwyaf teimladwy daro tant gyda mi a’r cynadleddwyr eraill hefyd: “yr etifeddiaeth gryfaf oedd Gemau llwyddiannus, roedd rhaid wrth hynny, ond mae’n rhaid i ni ddal ati i greu cyfleoedd i arddangos chwaraeon ac i bobl gymryd rhan mewn chwaraeon”. Gyda dim ond ychydig dros flwyddyn i fynd tan Glasgow 2014, mae’r datganiad yma’n fwy perthnasol nag erioed.
Yna aeth yr Arglwydd Coe yn ei flaen i ymweld ag Ysgol Uwchradd Fitzalan. Yno, yn fy nghwmni i a John Griffiths AC, cafodd ei gyflwyno i rai o’r bobl ifanc a ysbrydolwyd gan ddigwyddiadau Llundain 2012.
Roedd ymuno gyda’r plant mewn gêm o bêl fasged cadair olwyn yn uchafbwynt arbennig i mi – roedd yn grêt cael cyfle i weld yn uniongyrchol sut mae’r brwdfrydedd cynyddol dros chwaraeon yn cael effaith gadarnhaol yng Nghymru, ochr yn ochr â thrafod tactegau wrth gwrs.
2. John Griffiths AC, y Gweinidog Diwylliant a Chwaraeon
Croesawyd John Griffiths AC i’r llwyfan – ei anerchiad cyntaf fel Gweinidog Diwylliant a Chwaraeon. Mae John yn hoff iawn o chwaraeon ac ymarfer ac mae’n credu’n gryf yn yr effaith gadarnhaol y gall chwaraeon a diwylliant ei chael ar bobl a chenedl Cymru. Dywedodd y byddai’r Llywodraeth, drwy fynd i’r afael â phroblemau anodd, yn dangos arweiniad, ac y bydd cydweithio’n arwain at greu etifeddiaeth y gallwn ni i gyd fod yn falch ohoni.
“Mae’n rhaid i werth a’n buddsoddiad ni ar y cyd mewn chwaraeon gael ei ystyried mewn cyd-destun ehangach ac mae’n rhaid i ni ddal ati i chwilio am gyfleoedd i fod yn effeithiol. Hefyd, mae’n rhaid i ni fod yn well am ddangos pa mor effeithiol ydyn ni, ac am ddarbwyllo pobl Cymru pam mae chwaraeon a gweithgarwch corfforol yn bwysig.”
Rydw i’n hynod falch bod gan chwaraeon well proffil wedi ad-drefnu’r Cabinet. Mae hwn yn gyfnod pwysig iawn i chwaraeon, wrth i ni elwa o ddigwyddiadau fel y Gemau Olympaidd a’r Gemau Paralympaidd ac edrych yn fanwl ar AG a Chwaraeon Ysgol.
Roedd yn amlwg oddi wrth ei anerchiad y bydd John yn cyfrannu brwdfrydedd a chymhelliant at y cyfeiriad clir rydyn ni wedi’i bennu ar gyfer y sector chwaraeon yng Nghymru, ac i mi mae hynny’n gyffrous tu hwnt.
3. Y Llysgenhadon Ifanc
Roedd y Llysgenhadon Ifanc ar eu gorau, fel maen nhw bob amser. Eleni, roeddent yn arwain eu sesiwn grŵp eu hunain – ‘Ysbrydoli Cenhedlaeth’. Roedd y sesiwn wedi’i rannu’n ddwy ran. I ddechrau, aethant ati i ddangos sut maent yn cael effaith ar ein gweledigaeth ar gyfer cael ‘Pob Plentyn wedi Gwirioni ar Chwaraeon am Oes’, ac yna aethant ati i hwyluso panel ar bwysigrwydd cefnogi’r Llysgenhadon Ifanc i ddatgloi eu llawn botensial.
Roedd yr adborth a gawsom ni’n rhagorol ac rydw i mor falch o’u hagwedd ysbrydoledig nhw tuag at gynyddu cyfranogiad corfforol ymhlith pobl ifanc ledled Cymru. Fel Llysgenhadon Ifanc, mae’r disgyblion ifanc hyn yn cael cyfle i hybu, datblygu a gwerthu manteision chwaraeon yn eu hysgolion a’u cymunedau ac maent yn gwneud gwahaniaeth mor gadarnhaol i chwaraeon yng Nghymru.
Gwyliwch y fideo yma a wnaed gan y Llysgennad Aur, Michael Kitchen.
Roedd y gynhadledd yn llwyddiant ysgubol a dim ond rhai o’r uchafbwyntiau i mi ydi’r rhain – roedd cymaint mwy y byddwn i wedi gallu cyfeirio atyn nhw.
Rydw i’n gobeithio bod pob cynadleddwr wedi gadael gan wneud addewid bersonol i ddyblu eto eu hymdrechion i helpu i newid ein cenedl ni er gwell. Wedi’r cwbl, does dim lle i orffwys ar ein rhwyfau gyda’n gweledigaeth ni ar gyfer chwaraeon. Mae llwyddiant Cymru ar y llwyfan chwaraeon wedi golygu ein bod ni’n wlad sy’n cael ei hadnabod ym mhob cwr o’r byd am ei sêr chwaraeon, ac mae’n rhaid i ni gynnal y momentwm yma.
Mae’n rhaid i ni fynd â phopeth a ddysgwyd gennym ni ym mhob sgwrs, pob prif anerchiad a phob cyflwyniad a wnaed i’n hysbrydoli ni i ddal ati i drafod grym arweiniad ac etifeddiaeth. Mae’n rhaid i ni weithredu ar y negeseuon hyn yn awr. Gadewch i ni fod yn uchelgeisiol a rhoi cynnig ar bethau nad ydyn ni wedi rhoi cynnig arnyn nhw o’r blaen efallai. Beth am wneud ymdrech o’r newydd a newid y genedl er gwell.
Am ragor o uchafbwyntiau o’r gynhadledd, crynodebau o’r areithiau a’r cyflwyniadau, ewch i’n gwefan ni: http://sportwales.org.uk/news--events/news--events/events/sport-wales-annual-conference-2013.aspx
Laura
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