Page 34 - link magazine

Sport and Leisure

Paralympic footballer sets

shining example to students

The Captain of the England and Poultney, 17, was born with cerebral
Great Britain 7-a-side football team palsy and was there to listen to the
and GB Paralympian, Jack Rutter, talk.
gave an inspirational presentation He said: “Today has been really
to Swindon College students on inspirational. It’s my goal to become
Thursday. a personal trainer, so hearing that
The star was diagnosed with Jack has realised his own ambitions
cerebral palsy after a serious has made me feel even more
head injury in 2009 which put his positive about my future.”
professional football career on hold. Jack later also presented Rhys
However, against all odds, he with his own personal pair of signed
gradually rebuilt his football career football boots.
to represent his country at the Rio Jo Wilson who arranged the event
2016 Olympics. said: “It’s given everyone a real
He said: “I hope that by sharing boost, and will hopefully encourage
my story I can make an impact more of our students to take part in
and demonstrate that anything is sport, no matter what their ability.”
possible if you have determination For more information about
and self-belief.” Swindon College visit swindon.ac.uk
Swindon College student Rhys or call (01793) 491 591. Swindon College Student Rhys Poultney, left, with Paralympian Jack Rutter
Rugby star inspires students at Commonweal’s Hub

Sam James, disabilities outreach
worker at Commonweal School’s
Hub writes about a visit to the
school by Rugby Star Thinus Delport
For the 3rd year, Commonweal
School has signed up students from
‘The Hub’ to the Sky Schools Sports
Project - a national schools project
which helps them integrate into
mainstream PE.
It also showcases one of the many
extra-curricular activities that the
Hub provides its students.
The project assigns a mentor to all
schools. We were delighted to be
assigned Rugby Union player Thinus
Delport. He has played for various
UK clubs including Worcester
Warriors, as well as playing
internationally for South Africa.
On the 12 January, Thinus spent a
day with ‘The Hub’ Students.
During the day they learnt about
Thinus’s story and how he got to Staff and students from Commonweal
play for South Africa. He told them School’s Hub with rugby star Thisus
about how he grew up in a South Delport
African farming community, the working together and seeing
struggles he had to face in working leadership qualities emerge that
towards his dream of playing for his may have never been picked up.
country. He really engaged all the They even got to work together to
students and they loved all of his create their own Hakka.
clips of him playing and especially All the students loved having
loved seeing the Hakka. Thinus in and they all got so much
Thinus went through five key skills out of the day. fun, the tag rugby was my favourite at engaging the students.’
to success that the students could Lee Chadwick from year 8 said: bit along with the Hakka. I also Thinus said: “I loved their
take with them in their studies in “It was really fun, but I do want to enjoyed watching the videos of enthusiasm and their willingness to
school and on-going further more in rugby tackle him next time. The best Thinus being tackled.” try new things. They were fantastic
their future careers. bit was when we played tag rugby. Teaching assistant Steve Paulizky to work with.’”
He did an activity session with the Mum is getting me a frame to put said: “Thinus had so much passion We would like to thank Thinus
students to help them understand my signed t-shirt in.” and you could tell he loved being a for the day and we all loved having
the importance of team work. This Dominic Tiley from year 7 said: “I rugby player. He was such a good him here and even the staff got
was great to see all the students loved the day and it was so much inspiration and was extremely good something out of it too.

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