Rhondda Sports
We debated sports policy in the Assembly last week, and I used the opportunity to pay tribute to some of those involved in encouraging participation in sports by young people in the Rhondda.
Leighton Andrews: The Minister referred
earlier to success in Welsh sport. As one of
the 20,000 spectators at Ninian Park stadium
last night, I say to the Minister, in case he
had not noticed, ‘We are top of the league,
say, we are top of the league’. I know that
you, like me, were behind the goal at the
Grange end 38 years ago when Cardiff City
Football Club was playing SV Hamburg in
the semi-final of the European cup winners’
cup. We look forward to getting beyond
those heights in future.
Turning to sports development and those
people in the community without whom we
could not encourage more people to
participate in activity. I think that the
Minister is right to spend time encouraging
participation in sports because, throughout
our communities, we have a whole range of
people who give of their own time, whether it
is informally to coach sporting teams at the
weekends or in the middle of the week, or to
run organisations that work with disabled
young people to encourage them to swim,
such as the Rhondda Polar Bears in my
constituency. The Boys’ and Girls’ Club,
which has clubs throughout our communities,
and does not often get recognition in the
National Assembly, does a huge amount of
work to promote the active participation of
young people in a range of sporting activity.
mThose people who have been successful in
sports often remain at the forefront of giving
something back to their communities. Scott
Young, the former Cardiff City player, still
gives a lot back to the community in the
Rhondda, for example. Missy Lender from
the Rhondda Rebels basketball team gives a
huge amount of time and commitment to
encouraging confidence-building, particularly
among young women, in activities in which
she gets involved in the Rhondda valley.
Ryan Jenkins, the Commonwealth table
tennis champion, also coaches young people
in the Rhondda valley. Those people’s
contributions need to be acknowledged and
supported.
We must also remember sometimes that we
are not just talking about the mass
participation sports; there are many other
sports that people are actively promoting in
Wales. I know that the Minister will be
wholehearted in his support, for example, for
the 2008 world field archery championships,
which will be held in the Rhondda valley.
There is a range of teams playing sports at all
levels, and it is good to see those activities
happening. At the weekend, I was watching
Treorchy smash Hirwaun at rugby, and I
know that the Minister ended his own rugby
career playing for Ystrad Rhondda at the
Treorchy ground, but I will leave it to him to
tell you about that. There are too many rugby
teams in the Rhondda valley to mention all of
them. However, I want to pick out
Tylerstown women’s rugby team, which is
doing a huge amount of successful work to
promote the cause of women’s rugby in
Wales.
Glyn Davies: Having appreciated your
enthusiasm, and that of the Minister, for
rugby—an obvious skill—is there any chance
that both of you will be willing to play for the
Assembly team when we take on the Houses
of Parliament next spring?
Leighton Andrews: I have no skill in terms
of rugby; I am sure that the Minister can
speak for himself. Denise Idris Jones has already paid tribute to
the passion that Ann Jones brings to her
support of Rhyl Football Club, in the Welsh
Premier League. Ton Pentre Football Club is
looking forward to its encounter in the cup
with Rhyl Football Club in a few weeks’
time.
I have one specific issue to raise, which has
been brought to my attention by one of the
organisations working closely with young
people in the Rhondda valley to encourage
football coaching in schools, namely the
Cambrian Village Trust in Clydach Vale,
which you will be familiar with. It is
specifically concerned about the level of
sports match funding, which currently stands
at around £15,000, but is higher in England.
Will you look at that issue? In England, I
think that sports match funding can go up to
around £50,000, but I think that, in Wales, it
is restricted to £15,000. It is also concerned
about the approach of the Football
Foundation and the availability of its funds to
clubs in Wales. Will you explore both of
those issues?
The policy being put forward today is a good
one. It is right that we are seeking to
encourage sporting excellence, as well as
encouraging participation in sport.