The North Solihull Sports Centre and other local venues were recently the home of the Include Me Games and this week-long event proved to be a massive success. But why does it matter so much, and can we expect to see similar events in the future?
The Full Story
The Include Me Games were designed to encourage a higher level of inclusivity in the world of sports and fitness. Members and non-members alike were invited to their local sports centres to take part in a selection of activities, including swimming, basketball and other sports, with an emphasis on helping people with disabilities take part.
Emma Marshall is the Contract Activity and Wellbeing Manager, and she was quoted as saying that the event received a ‘fantastic’ response from the local community as many residents tried certain sports for the first time and gained confidence from doing so. The Warwickshire Bears Wheelchair Basketball Club and the inclusive cycling group Solihull Wheels for All were among the partners who helped keep everyone safe and make this a success.
These games marked an important opportunity for locals to try sports that they perhaps had never attempted before. By helping them to realise that they can enjoy a range of different activities, it may prove to have a lasting effect by introducing different ways of keeping fit into their lives.
How Sports Centres Can Use Proven Marketing Techniques
It’s also worth bearing in mind that sports centres currently have a tough time marketing events of this nature as they need to compete against so many other activities. Finding ways to get people from all walks of life and all activity levels involved in sports requires creative thinking.
One possible solution is to organise live tournaments over the internet, which is an approach that’s already popular in some sports and other sectors. The chance to join live tournaments online can come in competitions or games where the action is streamed onto each player’s screen as it happens. By providing easy access to a wide range of players in different locations, it’s easy to see how this way of playing has caught on.
A look at the upcoming tournaments and events in Solihull reveals that equestrian competitions at Swallowfield Equestrian Centre and street dances are among the items in the calendar. Solihull Tennis Club runs a summer tournament, while chess and snooker are among the other sports that raise their profile with regular competitions here. This type of sporting tournament could be used to raise awareness of other important issues.
What Will Happen Next?
We expect to see the Include Me Games return next year, and while this is an area where we can only hope to see change happen overnight, the games mark the start of a new approach to inclusivity that helps many people add sports to their days. The event’s success in Solihull will have opened many people’s eyes to the subject and could prove to be vital in helping more initiatives of this type to get started.
