London Riots News

The shambolic scenes that adorned our TV screens, beamed from the streets of our Capital city earlier this month, will have sickened every civilised citizen, irrespective of their political affiliation, religious belief, race, or social background.

Now of course the recriminations, analysis, and review of what happened, and most importantly 'why' will occupy the minds of politicians and academics for many months to come. There is rarely any simple panacea for these issues, but I do believe that sport - especially athletics - has a massive role to play.

I have spent 35 years coaching athletics at various levels, spending many early years with the young, progressing to where I am now - typing this missive in South Korea awaiting the start of the World Championships. And through those years there has been one very clear message from young and senior athletes, and that is their fears of what might have been, had they not found sport.

Young people need, seek, indeed feed on thrill and excitement. They crave a belonging and identity that gives them status in front of an audience. If they are deprived of that, they become more and more desperate to find it, and hence become extremely vulnerable to an increasingly threatening and cruel outside world.

You can translate this two ways: a youngster without guidance for whatever reason, becomes attracted to a gang, receives negative influences, is desperate to fit in, and so follows negative role models into a downward spiral of anti-social behaviour and ultimate criminal offending. Or you can have a young person who is given that one chance to take up sport, make him/her part of a group/team, show them how much fun it can be and/or unearth a talent, reward them with uniform or kit, and you have positive behaviour boxes being ticked all over the page! Motivation, leadership skills, self-esteem and confidence - they all come, slowly but surely, and lay the foundations for a constructive, not destructive, future!

When I was at Blackheath Harriers (as they were then called), we developed a massive youth scheme which was hugely successful. Team sweatshirts with "National Champions" emblazoned thereon were slept in! You only have to talk to participants of schemes like Met-Track, and many others, to understand that this in many cases is the first time these young people have actually been given the chance to have a go at anything. Dishing out simple tee-shirts in Hackney brought cheesey grins to even the most stubborn members!

Athletics is a multi-discipline sport appealing to both genders, and has wide appeal. Yet it is largely an annual day in many of our schools (sports day) or confined to elite school team members. Those most vulnerable to the scenario described above are left to their own devices - and the results were very clear indeed in Tottenham, Hackney, Croydon, and many other London flashpoints.

We have to invest more in young people and getting them on the right track (no pun intended!). With Met-Track we have struggled to sustain funding and are actually in danger of going bust - scandalous in the wake of such criminality on our streets, and obvious demand for diversionary schemes. And funding "released" by politicians is far from realistic. A 17-page form to apply for authorisation to apply for Lottery funding - and then a 26-pager to actually apply! Two attempts at Mayors' funding after we are told we tick all the boxes, only to be rejected without being shortlisted? And this for a tried, tested, and extremely effective project!

Ultimately, the criminal justice system and robust policing will have to be the answer for many but, until there is a proper strategic approach to engaging with our young, educating parents on how to engender responsibility in their off-spring, I fear for our longer-term future.

CITY KIDS GET INTERNATIONAL VISIT!

Young Londoners taking part in the Westminster Met-Track project were treated to an extra serving of international coaching at Paddington Recreation Ground this Wednesday (13th July).

As if regular coaches, French international Gus Ebhohinhem-Ben and Commonwealth Triple Jump Champion Tosin Oke weren't enough, their latest session attracted Britain's sprints superkid, David Bolarinwa (17).

David, the fastest under-18 in the world last year, has become a role model for coach John Powell's sports project, and was able to talk to the young people at the session about his experiences as a teenager on the international circuit. Then he went on to help with the coaching session, demonstrating the sprint start.

Westminster is one of London's strongest Met-Track squads, and if the special visit wasn't enough, a camera crew shadowed the whole event, gaining footage that will hopefully lead to the BBC making a documentary about David's athletics, his coach, Scheme Director John Powell, and the Met-Track project as a whole.

"Any kind of exposure for the scheme is positive," said John, "but if we have a documentary go out on a BBC channel in Olympic year, that won't do us any harm at all! David is an excellent role model for young Londoners, and I'm really pleased he's willing to visit the project like this. It brings a whole new dimension to sport for the young people taking part - they can talk to someone who started where they are and who has proved just what can be achieved with a little effort and application."

"Met-Track is a great project," said David. "I have been really lucky to progress to international level, but you don't have to be good at something to have fun."

Since David has been associated with the project, Met-Track has set up a school academy at his secondary school, Woolwich Polytechnic, in Greenwich Borough.

YOUNG EASTENDERS GO TO PRISON!

As Met-Track continues to develop its many wings of activity toward pointing young Londoners in the right direction, seven pupils from Barking and Dagenham College visited Category D prison Blantyre House, in Sussex, and got a first hand taste of just what custody is like.

The young people, aged 15 and 16, who had all been excluded from schools in the past, got a tour of the establishment, but most significantly, had 90 minutes' interactive input from four serving prisoners who were all completing long-term sentences - one serving life for murder, another an extended term for armed robbery.

The presentations included how these inmates got into trouble at first, and eventually received custodial sentences. Their presentation represented the most striking deterrent to anyone contemplating behaviour that risked a prison sentence. They described in graphic detail their experiences, and gave a first hand account of exactly what to expect when you receive a prison term. Their young audience remained completely captivated throughout.

Blantyre House houses prisoners whose behaviour elsewhere has merited their move to what is essentially a resettlement prison for inmates soon to be re-integrated into society, similar to the Latchmere House establishment that has worked with Met-Track in the past.

"This looked like it was a real wake-up call for some of the young people there," said Scheme Manager Jason Hussain. "When the guys introduced themselves and talked so openly about their lives inside, I doubt anyone could fail to be completely absorbed with what they had to say. Most importantly though, it should be a huge deterrent for these young people to go down an offending route in life, because that is exactly where these guys began."

Met-Track Scheme Director, John Powell, said: "This is something I want to link into as many Met-Track schemes as possible. We also want to get the prisoners out to see the young people in Met-Track training environments and striking up a rapport that mentors them away from offending or anti-social behaviour.

"There will of course be people who have doubts as to the appropriateness of this programme: well I would say to them they should come to the prison and listen to one of the presentations themselves, because it is something you will remember for a long time."

Met-Track is continuing to expand around London this year, and schemes including prisoner mentoring are high on the project's list of priorities. A large proportion of the young people who take part in the scheme in boroughs all over the Capital do not go on to offend or reoffend, and the partnership working with the Prison Service is seen as very much part of the deterrent process.

See also http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/4736691.stm

MET-TRACK COACHES LEAD THE WAY!

As the summer track and fieldseason gets under way, Met-Track coaches are getting their legs to do the talking as they provide the perfect example to their charges of what can be achieved through sport with a little bit of hard work!

Coaching in Sutton, Lewisham, Kelsey Park and Charles Darwin Academies, and the newly-launched Coopers School Academy, Bromley, James Ellington produced a world class performance over 100 metres at the recent Loughborough University International match.

Representing England, he clockeda spectacular 10.12 seconds for the blue ribbon sprints event - a huge break-through with his previous fastest outing being 10.23s.

James has been coachingfor Met-Track since its inauguration in 2005, and has converted countless young Londoners to the idea that sport holds a positive future with opportunities to develop and achieve. Aged 25, he is now emerging as one of Britain's fastest men, but remains committed to helping young Londoners invest positively in their future:

"Met-Track has been a great scheme to coach on," said James. "I have no idea where I'd be if it weren't for athletics, and a lot of kids haven't a clue just how much fun they can have simply by taking part and getting fit. You don't have to be a Usain Bolt to walk onto a track, and every time I get a new kid come to one of my squads, I think of where I was years ago."

One of the most original aspects of Met-Track in London is that it is staffed by international athletes. Also being qualified coaches, they inject a unique energy as role models into the grass roots of the sport. As the traditional curtain-raiser for the UK domestic season, the Loughborough event saw other Met-Track coaches in Aidan Syers, Dwayne Grant, Gemma and Georgina Malster, and Scheme Manager Jason Hussain also in action. JJ Jegede, a huge loss to Met-Track when he migrated to Northumberland last month, again won the long jump as British number one in the event.

Scheme Director John Powell, who also coaches James, Dwayne and Jason, said: "We are immensely proud of what we deliver at Met-Track. Our coaches are role models to the young people they work with, and are delivering some outstanding results all over London. Many are full-time athletes and so their coaching role compliments perfectly their training regime, with obvious benefits to the young Londoners they work with. I only hope that, in the currently immensely challenging fiscal environment, we continue to receive the support we need to survive."

Give young people a sporting chance of escaping violence!

Met-Track Newspaper Stories:

Olympics chief Lord Coe hails project working with schools.

Download full story here

Olympic committee applauds police sports scheme for keeping youngsters on track.

Download full story here

Met-Track becomes part of London 2012 'Truce' Programme

Met-Track has been recognised by London 2012 for the work it is doing to promote peace and provide a conduit toward conflict resolution through sport.

Met-Track has already been awarded the Inspire Mark, the badge of the London 2012 Inspire programme, for the work it has been doing to engage young Londoners in athletics and fitness training, delivered by international athletes, with a view to offering alternative pathways toward positive futures.
Met-Track has now also become part of London 2012’s ‘Truce’ programme, which recognises projects that help to promote the Olympic Truce by ‘building a better and more peaceful world through sport and the Olympic ideal.’

The scheme, launched in 2005, has gone from strength to strength engaging with thousands of young people in London, targeting those most likely to benefit, with upwards of 80% not offending or reoffending as a result.


Met-Track’s comprehensive programme of sports coaching, mentoring, and engagement, has won many plaudits, with case studies and testimonies underlining how the project has managed to steer so many young Londoners away from anti-social behavior and crime, making the Capital a safer place in which to live and work in the final run-up to the biggest show on earth in 2012!

Seb Coe, Chair, London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games said: “The main principle behind the Olympic Truce today is to help to build a better and more peaceful world through sport and the Olympic ideal. We are delighted that Met-Track is not only helping us to present a safer, more cohesive Capital City to the rest of the world in 2012, but is also using sport to promote peace and address conflict resolution.

Superintendent John Powell, of TPHQ Patrol OCU who is also director of the scheme was delighted with his project’s latest accolade: “The Olympic ideals represent what Met-Track is all about. In targeting young people who might not otherwise think about taking up sport and perhaps who are facing a less than positive future, we are promoting sport, supporting peace, preventing crime, and making London that much safer.

“We are very proud of what we are delivering. Only recently, one of our coaches recognised some pupils from a school where one of our academies is based. It transpired they were en route to confront another east London gang. Not only did he turf them off the bus and send them home, he had them attend his next session, and has since begun to reform attitudes and break down the gang culture.”

Ealing borough have announced support for Met-Track into 2012 and beyond !

Ealing borough have announced support for Met-Track into 2012 and beyond with a cash injection that will see their project reach into 2012 and possibly beyond. It stands as one of the most successful schemes in London, and continues to go from strength to strength.

A steady stream of young people attend the Met-Track sessions at the Perivale track every Thursday between 4.30pm and 6pm, and several have gone on to join the local athletics club.
The borough are holding an Easter awards event where the local Police Borough Commander will attend and present certificates. Parents are also invited and a light buffet will be provided. Statistics representing the past year's work set the borough aside from the majority of their neighbours:

• 81 tee-shirts awarded;
• 55 bronze, 23 silver, and 15 gold medals and certificates presented;
• 39 hoodies given out;
• 9 track passes awarded;
• 11 pairs of spikes given;
• 40 Met-Track rain jackets given out.

The borough sent 22 participants on a recent Star-Track athletics week, and have further diversified with visits from specialists who have completed a comprehensive programme of activities for local young people. A throws event has been organised this Easter with the West London Hammer School, and some Met-Track youngsters are looking to compete in a local open track and field meeting during the holidays. The Metropolitan Police Firearms Unit are sending officers down to speak to the group, and further presentations will be arranged for later in the year.
"Ealing are a shining example of what can be achieved with a little effort and coordination," said Scheme Director, John Powell. "They are delivering a quality product, targeting the right audience, and seeing very few of their number entering the anti-social behaviour radar, let alone offending or reoffending."

Read past news stories on Ealing Borough here.