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Sports Coaching Weekend 2025
Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th April 2025
Our Sports Coaching Weekend is over for another year.
Watch this space for details of next year's Sports Coaching Weekend.
In 2025 over 270 children took part and to see the smiles on their faces when they finished their sessions made all the months of hard work worthwhile.
Lions would like to thank all those who have helped in any way to make this year's event so successful.
Here are a few of the comments that we have received:
Thank you so much for putting on this event, it such a great opportunity for the children to try something they wouldn't otherwise get to.
Charlie won’t be there tomorrow. He had a fantastic day today but has had a really busy week and weekend and is exhausted so he isn’t up to it.
Thank you for all that you do and I hope that you have a peaceful evening!
Here are some pictures of the Trail Biking session. The weather was fantastic for this and the other activities that were held outside:
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The participants lining up ready for the start at Nursteed School. |
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A little light relief came from watching the light plane doing a couple of touch downs for us on the landing strip above Coate. |
| On Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th April 2025 Devizes Lions are held their popular Sports Coaching Weekend where, for just £10, over 270 children in school year groups 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 tried one of up to 16 different sports that they might not otherwise have had the opportunity to experience, with tuition provided by qualified coaches. |  |
You can download a copy of the poster here that you can print and pin on your wall: 2025 Sports Coaching poster.
Here are the activities on offer and their venues. Click on an activity to access more details about it.
| Activity | Venue |
| Adventurous Activities | Braeside Education Centre, Devizes |
| Archery | Green Lane Playing Fields, Devizes |
| Artistic Swimming | Devizes Leisure Centre |
| Athletics | Dauntsey's School |
| Badminton | Devizes Leisure Centre |
| Golf | North Wilts Golf Club |
| Gymnastics | Devizes School |
| Judo | Silverwood (formerly Rowdeford) School, Rowde |
| Kayaking | Dauntsey's School |
| Poolside Diving | Devizes Leisure Centre |
| Skateboarding | Green Lane Skate Park, Devizes |
| Sword Fencing | Devizes School |
| Table Tennis | Devizes Leisure Centre |
| Trail Biking | Devizes School & the countryside |
| Trampolining | Devizes School |
| Volleyball | Dauntsey's School |
What happens next?
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LATE APPLICATIONS made after Wednesday 12 February must only be made using the TicketSource option - see Step 2, option 2 below, highlighted yellow. Please note that the lists for Golf, Skateboarding, Table Tennis and Trail Biking are now closed. |
A Devizes Lion will be coming to your school between 13th and 31st January to tell you all about the weekend. All the information you need is on the application forms which will be available from your school after we have made our presentation.
We are asking for a contribution of £10 per child towards the cost of the event - the same as last year.
Application Forms will be available from your school after we have made our presentation in January or you can download a copy here:
Application Form (pdf)
Application Form (Word)
Step 1. Details of the sports are shown above and on page
2 of the application form with the sessions on page 3. Choose three in order of preference. We will try to accommodate first choices but if there are too many applications for the same sport, another of the chosen sports may be allocated.
Step 2. Please submit your application by Wednesday 12 February at the latest using one of these methods:
- Complete and return page 3 of the application form with £10 in cash (please - no cheques), in a sealed envelope marked “Sports Coaching” to the child’s school by Wednesday 12th February at the latest. Lions will collect envelopes from schools on the 13th or 14th February.
or
- Apply online using TicketSource: www.ticketsource.co.uk/devizes-lions-club-cio where Sports Coaching is listed as a Devizes Lions event. Pay £10 and use the on-line application form. Note: A small TicketSource booking fee applies.
The strict deadline for either is Wednesday 12th February.
Step 3. When you have completed the application process, make a note of the chosen activities and the associated venues and keep it for reference.
Step 4. A letter will be sent by post to each participant at the postal address provided by 16 March 2025. It will confirm the allocated activity, the venue, the date and the start time, along with any special information.
If you missed the presentation, you can download a copy of the PowerPoint presentation from here to view at home:
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The Club would like to thank Cross Manufacturing Co (1938) Ltd for supporting the 2025 Sports Coaching Weekend. |
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Here are details of last year's event:
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Head over to our Projects Page to find out what we did in previous years. |
And here are a few pictures
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Some of the archery children with their medals presented by the Devizes Bowmen at the end of their session.
All of the children at Braeside Education Centre were able to face the challenge of the thirty-foot climbing wall. |
The high ropes at Braeside Education Centre were probably the most adventurous of the Adventurous Activities. |
Lions have been running these events for over thirty years, and they have always been popular. In some cases this year the children's parents had themselves enjoyed Lions Sports Coaching sessions when young. Often children have gone on to develop a long-lasting love of their new sports, sometimes competing at county and national level, and in at least one case at the Paralympics.
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Devizes Canoe Club introduced children to a range of different craft at their base in Devizes. |
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(The activities that are greyed out will not be available this year but have been retained for reference.)
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Adventurous Activities at Braeside for those who enjoy an adrenaline rush. The low ropes course involves climbing around a ship-like course without falling 'overboard'. High ropes involve wearing safety harnesses as it's all pretty high, but can you think, communicate and remain coordinated at that level? Have you the courage to jump for the trapeze bar? (Challenge by choice - no one is forced to).
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Archery is a great sport and can be enjoyed by everyone regardless of age, gender, ability or disability. Being able to accurately and safely shoot a bow is a skill that requires discipline, high levels of concentration and self-confidence. Experience the thrill of drawing a bow, aiming and hitting your target with coaching from Devizes Bowmen.
Athletics gives you a chance to try all athletics disciplines: hammer, javelin, discus, hurdles, jumps, sprints, long distance and relay. Learning the basic techniques required with an emphasis on fun.
Badminton is the fastest racket sport in the world, with the shuttle (the bit you bash) travelling faster than a Formula 1 racing car! It is one of the most popular sports in the world with over 250 million people playing. It's an indoor sport that's fun, sociable and keeps you very fit!
Basketball is a fast moving game and one of the most popular sports in the world. It is a great workout that is good for health, stimulates the brain, allows you to make new friends and to have fun while being active. It can be played year-round.
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Canoeing. Have a taster and learn the basics of canoeing. Going forwards, backwards, sideways, around corners, emergency stops, staying afloat etc. and also have some fun playing games using the strokes learned. The coach has been a BCU Canoeing Instructor for 30+ years and has run various courses, including for the Lions, for over 11 years. You can then join a local canoe club!
Clay Shooting. is a safe sport in the right environment with qualified instructors. You will be taught how to shoot the gun safely, you will then be able to have a go at shooting the clays which are discs made from clay and not live birds or animals. You will need stout shoes or boots and warm clothes (waterproof jacket if wet). All other equipment will be supplied.
Frisbee. "Ultimate" frisbee is a fast-moving team sport enjoyed by millions of players the world over. It’s played with a flying disc. Anyone can take part. Beginners find the game easy to learn and fun to play. "Ultimate" players require skill, agility and endurance….. Grab a disc and get out there!
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Golf is a sport where you don’t have to be big, strong or fast to be successful. The traits of successful players are: patience, persistence, skilled practice and focused ability. It promotes a spirit of friendly competition and relies on honesty and courtesy. Overall, golf is a game in which to make friends and is one to be enjoyed for a lifetime.
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Tracey sent us this fabulous photo and said,
"Thank you so much for the coaching weekend, my daughter had a wonderful time at the gymnastics.
She really did, as you can see from the photograph. Thank you again." |
Gymnastics is a safe, enjoyable and challenging sport that offers opportunities for people of all ages and abilities. It has something for everyone, providing a wide range of movement experiences for participants and spectators while providing the opportunity to focus on fun, fitness, friendship and fundamentals.
Hockey. The Olympic Gold winning sport from Rio 2016, is a fast, fun team game, where you use sticks and a plastic ball to score goals. It is played on artificial pitches, making it faster and exciting! Come and learn the skills you need! Your local Club is Devizes, with a thriving Junior section.
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Judo is one of the world's most widely practised Olympic and Paralympic sports and showcases breath-taking throws and ground fighting techniques as competitors illustrate why they are among the best conditioned athletes in the world. Our qualified coaches will teach you coordination, balance and agility, and if you want to be the best we will show you how.
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Kayaking. The introductory Pool Sessions provide a welcoming environment to learn the fundamental skills and techniques in paddling a kayak. The support and encouragement from Juliet will give each and every paddler the confidence in water to progress and the positive experience will be great fun and a wonderful start in Paddlesport.
Netball is an activity that requires quick thinking, agility and teamwork. It can help you improve your aerobic fitness, stamina, strength and balance. You can enjoy a game of netball indoors or outdoors and it is suited to any age or physical ability. You’ll learn skills and tactics to take back to your club or school and make new friends along the way.
Pool Activities
Poolside Diving
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Poolside Diving is offered to children who can swim at least 25 metres and who are confident in deep water. They will be introduced through progressive water and poolside exercises to jump and dive into the water. They will learn straight, tucked, piked, somersaulting and twisting positions in the water to gain confidence to enjoy diving.
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Artistic Swimming. Girls and boys who can swim 100 metres plus will learn how to put basic sculls, strokes and moves together to form a routine. Synchronised swimming is a very strenuous and skilful sport because competitors need strength and flexibility to perform the routines, as well as rhythm and flair to synchronise and interpret the music.
Riding. The one hour session at the Children’s Riding School is aimed for beginners. They will be meet some of our wonderful native pony breeds and gain a little understanding of a pony. They will be able to borrow riding helmets of the correct standard and will be introduced to handling the ponies and to mounting and riding in the outdoor schools.
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Skateboarding These taster sessions are great fun and really engage and inspire young people - leading to healthier active lifestyles and positive mental attitudes. Our coaches bring all the equipment needed, so that everyone will be all kitted out properly with safety gear to tackle the exciting challenges ahead.
Squash can be played all year round. It's a great workout and teaches hand-eye coordination as well as stamina. It's a game of not only fitness but of strategy, and it doesn’t require a whole team of people to play. It's fun!
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Sword Fencing is the fastest growing sport in the UK. In the age of chivalry, duelling was favoured as a method of settling matters of honour, because of its grace and simplicity. These remain the most attractive aspects of the sport today, developing all round fitness, flexibility of movement, stamina, mental agility, co-ordination, balance and self-confidence. It’s great fun learning to duel.
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Table Tennis is an Olympic sport, and one of the world’s fastest games. It is a “Sport for Life” and played and enjoyed by people of all ages. Come along and try it, with the help of our experienced table tennis coach.
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Trail Biking. There is no more exhilarating way of keeping fit and having fun as you bike along Wiltshire’s fabulous trails - the hills, the woods, the fields, the hedgerows, the waterways are all waiting for you! Bring your mountain bike for training on Saturday followed by the cross-country bit on Sunday!
Tae Kwon-Do encourages interest in martial arts in a nonthreatening way. It also improves flexibility and fitness, develops pride, focus, and self-discipline. Tae kwon-do increases attention span, promotes concentration, and positively impacts other school activities. It is an excellent supplement to other sports. Students learn respect for themselves and others.
Target Shooting. An Olympic sport since the first modern games, shooting suits all ages. It helps develop strength, stamina, hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. During Sports Coaching you will learn to fire an air rifle at a fixed target on a modern 25 yard range, and you will enjoy seeing your ability increasing.
Tennis. You can play tennis whatever your age. There are many places to play across the country. It's a great way to get fit and can be a great way to make friends. It's easy to get started and we provide the equipment, so come and have a go.
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Trampolining. Want to try something different and stand out from the crowd? While anyone can begin and jump on a trampoline, high level trampolining requires strength, stamina and skill. It is a fantastic sport for keeping fit and good for posture and balance and is a really fun way of exercising. It is also an Olympic sport.
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Volleyball is a great sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels. It can be played year round both indoors and outdoors and has many benefits: it burns calories and improves muscle strength and tone, hand-eye coordination, reflexes, and balance. Last but not least, volleyball teaches teamwork and communication and is a great social activity.
Devizes Lions reserve the right to cancel any sport due to insufficient numbers or other unforeseen circumstances.
