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Rob Guy from Sports Leaders UK takes a look at an amazing year for sports leadership in Wales, and what to look forward to in 2014.

As we look ahead to the 2014 Commonwealth Games, 2013 has been another vintage year for Sport in Wales with; two teams now competing in the Football Premier League, Wales Rugby winning the 6 Nations title and Wales and Lions Coach Warren Gatland being named UK Coach of the Year. The Wales netball team won the European Open Championship and Non Stanford became the World Triathlon Champion.

Getting every child hooked on sport for life came a step closer with the Sport Wales School Sport Survey showing a 50% increase in extra curricular physical activity for 11-16 year olds. In every county in Wales at least 13% of those 11-16 year olds has now trained as a Sports Leader through completion of a Sports Leaders UK award or qualification, with some counties being as high as 21%.

Sports Leaders UK encompasses awards and qualifications in multi-activity sport, dance and outdoor leadership. In 2013 this also included sports specific leadership for young people aged 13 and above, and adults who are interested in stepping onto the coaching pathway. In 2013, a record number of 8,440 Sports Leaders have been trained in Wales - all of whom are volunteering to get more people more active.

In Wales we want to close the gender gap so as many girls take part in sport as boys. One way of getting more girls involved is to have more female leaders and role models running activities and encouraging girls to get involved. In 2012, we felt we were achieving this with 44% of Sports Leaders trained being female. But through a proactive approach in all counties in Wales, linked to the Young Ambassador programme, the number of female Sports Leaders trained increased to 48% Warren Gatland started coaching aged 32, but if we are to get every child hooked on sport for life we need people to become leaders and coaches before they retire from playing sport. Primary school pupils can train as Sports Leaders from the age of 9 upwards and, in Wales in 2013, a total of 3,314 primary age pupils trained as Sports Leaders, with 1,540 becoming Bronze Young Ambassadors. They now help teachers and coaches to run extra curricular clubs and activities for pupils in their schools, starting them on the leadership/coaching pathway to becoming the next Warren Gatland, and in the process getting lots more children hooked on sport.

Most sports leadership training in Wales is based around multi activity planning, organising and delivering sessions in sport, dance and outdoor activity. However, in 2013, a number of sports specific leader awards have been launched in Wales aimed at young people aged 13 and above and adults. These young people want to get involved in sports specific leadership as part of a pathway towards becoming coaches. In 2013, in partnership with National Governing Bodies of Sport in Wales, 1,100 Sports Specific Leaders have been trained in badminton, swimming, hockey, gymnastics and netball, helping to create the next generation of coaches for these sports.

We know the importance of quality training, but this needs to be followed up by support, mentoring and deployment in order to create a successful and sustainable legacy. We also know that people of all ages appreciate being rewarded and recognised, especially if they are working in a voluntary capacity. We need to encourage people to keep volunteering and make it into a lifelong habit if we are going to get every child hooked on sport for life in Wales. The Millennium Volunteering (MV) 50 Sport Award recognised 50 hours of volunteering commitment by young people in sport, and they are encouraged to go on and accumulate certificates for 100 and 200 hours of volunteering. In 2013, a total of 647 people in Wales achieved the 50 Hour Award, with 182 going on to complete their MV 100 Award and 96 going on to complete their MV 200 Award. This equates to around 56,000 volunteering hours in school and community sport by young people aged 14-25. Many of these are Level 2 and Level 3 Sports Leaders and Silver, Gold and Platinum Ambassadors.

Lots of schools, colleges, universities, local authorities, community groups, clubs and charities train Sports Leaders in Wales and in 2013 some fantastic results have been achieved. This has been achieved through partnership working and the efforts of hundreds of passionate and enthusiastic people in Wales and I look forward to even more being achieved in 2014.

For more on Sports Leaders UK in Wales visit: http://www.sportsleaders.org/tutors/in-your-region/walescymru/

Rob Guy