Get Involved With The Olympics

Get involved in the Games: maximise your sports pitch construction or MUGA during London 2012.

It’s getting nearer. Widely debated and sometimes controversial, London’s forthcoming hosting of the Olympic Games is nonetheless a once in a lifetime event for Britain. With 100 training centre’s across the UK and the torch bearers’ route traveling to 1000 cities, nationwide involvement is certainly being pushed. If you have access to a sports pitch or multi sports area, consider the possible benefits of leading your community’s participation.

Whether you are a school looking to maximise your MUGA, a contractor involved in high scale sports pitch construction, or a local authority responsible for an all weather pitch, your facility could work beautifully in a number of applications that celebrate the games.

Using your schools’ MUGA or sports pitch to enhance PE

For schools who enjoy a multi use games area the potential for 2012 sporting celebration is endless. Even if your school’s facilities are more specific (an all weather pitch or athletic surface, for example) they can still be used to get students passionate about sport.

School involvement hinges around the Olympics Get Set programme. This incorporates a Young Ambassadors’ scheme (encouraging students to lead others in sport), the Big Dance schools pledge (committing to 20 minutes of dance a day with a record setting attempt on the 18^th May next year) and the Lloyds TSB National Schools Sports week. Your multi sport area or sports pitch construction are an ideal platform to get your students in on the act. Your MUGA’s synthetic pitch, for example, is a great non-slip surface where students can participate in the Big Dance record attempt. A 3G pitch is the ideal setting to stage a sports tournament as part of National School Sports week. You could even host neighbouring schools to promote healthy competition. For a really integrated approach bring in cross-curricular themed activities – incorporating the Olympics into history lessons or designing and planning a stadium as part of a science project, for example.

Contracting opportunities for commercial experts in sports pitch construction

If you are a commercial contractor specialising in sports pitch construction, equipment supply, or any aspect of sports services, the Olympics is a big opportunity for you. London 2012’s Business Network lists hundreds of tender opportunities for all manner of builders, suppliers, and supporting businesses. You can register your business at the site to see the latest tenders and get in on the act.

If you commercially own a large scale sports pitch construction, you might think about organising your own festival. All weather pitches such as football clubs are the perfect venue for a Summer fun day or concert celebrating our hosting of the age-old games. You could deliver your own mini-Olympics on your synthetic pitch, partnering with schools or sports clubs. It’s a great showcase for your facility, offering spin-off PR and a commercial opportunity for yourself and other local businesses. But take care – if you plan to generate income from the visitors pouring onto your sports pitch you must treat this as a private event. Community Live Sites using sports pitches and other open spaces to screen the games are a different strand of involvement and must be run on a non-commercial basis.

Using your local authorities’ sports pitch construction for the community’s benefit

Olympic Live Sites are big screens and event spaces erected across urban spaces in the UK. London 2012’s organisers are also encouraging local authorities to erect Community Live Sites during the games. If your authority runs a sports pitch this is a great setting for a Live Site. All weather pitches are ideally suitable for bringing your community together to watch the games in a party atmosphere.

Running a Community Live site on your sports pitch is a regulated activity and must be done with the endorsement of London 2012. You will need to apply for permission and think about the equipment and cost involved. Big screens, catering, sanitary facilities and the like all need to be publicly and non-commercially funded, since commercial live sites are not permitted. London 2012 recommends seeking sporting partners including Inspire groups in your local area who can assist with organisation and delivery and help your community come alive during the games.

The beauty of modern day sports pitch constructions lies in their versatility – as you can see in our  advice on making the most of your multi-use games area. The Olympics only enhances  the potential to showcase and use such sports pitches in ways that benefit you and your community. Don’t miss out on this once in a lifetime event – start thinking today about how your sports pitch construction can help you to get involved.