Monday 25 February 2013

School Sport Survey 2013 - an Important Tool, by Kate Fox Parry

As preparations for the beginning of the 2013 School Sport Survey are well underway, Kate Fox-Parry – Headteacher of Ysgol Gynradd Cae’r Nant, Connah’s Quay, Flintshire explains why she feels it is so important for every school to take part.

Last year, 2012 was the year that had the X factor as far as British Sport was concerned. I am sure that the spectacle of the Olympic and Paralympic Games inspired everyone young and old? I was certainly sitting on the edge of my seat and glued to the T.V. screen for the whole of the Olympics. This was followed by an inspirational Ryder Cup Team that claimed victory from the edge of defeat in Medinah and not forgetting the physical strength and mental tenacity demonstrated by Bradley Wiggins in winning the Tour de France earlier in the year. The children returned to school after the summer holidays buzzing with excitement, and eager to begin practising their physical education skills and playing for the school teams.

The Sport Wales School Sport Survey is an important tool for it will inform future physical education and sports provision for Wales and so I urge as many schools as possible to participate in the survey so that the “big picture” is clear. Educators and students will be able to inform us via their responses of how they want to shape physical education provision both in school and in their communities. Pupils will have a voice and an opportunity to have their say. As a school you will receive a personalised report which will provide valuable information about your pupils and your school and the standards of well-being, physical participation and attitudes that your young people have. This will obviously allow you to plan for future provision in your Local Authority and school and may be the evidence base for future Estyn inspections.       

Every day sports personalities from all around the world perform their skills at the highest level unifying the world with their brilliance and inspiring others to replicate their feats and successes. Each one was once a child, a pupil at a school and must have been inspired themselves to develop their talents and pursue their individual goals. The source of inspiration could have been parents, coaches or very often their teachers. As professionals we need to realise the positive influences we can have on shaping our children’s education and developing their knowledge, skills and self- esteem as well as nurturing our future sporting heroes. The physical well-being of pupils in Wales needs and depends on you SO PLEASE ALLOW TIME TO RESPOND.

Thursday 21 February 2013

They All Count: 101 Ways To Score a Goal (or Not)

"Yyyyeah-no, it's always nice to score", players tell us, even if it's the three points that matter. After 150 years of the codified game of football, how many different ways have been developed of trying to get on the scoresheet? Well, here's 101 of them...


   


(Click each one for a video, if my memory could help unearth one.)
  1. Fired - A powerful shot. Its height or range is not important, but its trajectory ought to be straight. Often a way of breaking the deadlock, as the goalscorer fires his team into the lead.
  2. Drilled - Just as forceful, but this time characterised by its relative lack of height - they are daisy-cutters with oomph. Drilled shots often find the corner, but this is not mandatory. 
  3. Rifled - A more refined variation of drilled, and part of an ongoing firearms theme, with less violent but more authoritative connotations. The verb to rifle is almost entirely exclusive to ball games. 
  4. Thundered - Suitable for use with shots that either go in or strike against the woodwork
  5. Hammered - So descriptive a term for powerful long-range efforts that it lends itself to players' nicknames, such as German midfielders Jorg "The Hammer" Albertz and Thomas "Der Hammer" Hitzlsperger, neither of whom needed a second invitation to shoot.
  6. Powered - A less popular verb, lacking the sheer imagery of the aforementioned blockbusters.
  7. Slammed - Often aided aesthetically by the ball being hit into the ground on its way into the net. Suitable for powerful goalscoring from close- to mid-range.
  8. Rammed - The slightly vulgar twin brother of slammed.
  9. Blasted - Surprisingly uncommon, perhaps with its disregard for technique, but undeniably powerful. Other explosive-themed finishes are the...
  10. Exocet or the...
  11. Howitzer
  12. Driven - Sacrificing some power for unerring direction, drives are distinctly long-range affairs (estimating the approximate yardage is an optional extra.)
  13. Arrowed - Long range and top corner only.
  14. Thumped - Like hammered, this act of punishment can also be applied to an entire scoreline, should the margin of victory be sufficiently comprehensive.
  15. Lashed - An instinctive act, somewhat lacking in finesse, useful from short to mid-range.
  16. Smashed - Popular with Richard Keys, but disappearing from view as a goalscoring verb. Still a woodwork-worthy term, however.
  17. Belted - Old-fashioned - like English No.9s, centre-halves or cup-ties - belters belong at any level of the football pyramid.
  18. Crashing header - Requires some victims in the process, ideally an over-protected goalkeeper, as the goalscorer gets a run on his markers to head home with at least moderate power.
  19. Towering header - Equal in altitude to the crashing header, but not requiring the same amount of physical devastation.
  20. Nodded - Often the simplest of tasks from close range.
  21. Glancing header - A slow-motion replay delight. 
  22. Bullet header - Maximum velocity for this header, often making use of the power of the cross that supplied it. Likely to be scored past a statuesque goalkeeper, who is rooted to the spot.
  23. Stooping header - Not high enough to be towering, nor low enough to require a...
  24. Diving header - An art form, as exhibited by the likes of Keith Houchen and (shot out of a cannon) Ted MacDougall.
  25. Guided - Cemented as a goalscoring verb by its inclusion in the text commentary of Championship Manager 93/94, but remains vague. Suggests some degree of craft and composure, and likely to be at least head-height.
  26. With aplomb - Well-documented by Football Clichés as a word commandeered almost exclusively for use in football. Finishing with aplomb requires neatness and style, while remaining magnanimous in comparison to the...
  27. Impudent chip - Impudence is best displayed by diminutive forwards such as Maradona or Messi. An impudent chip must be propelled from ground level, unlike the...
  28. Audacious lob - Taken on the volley or half-volley, from in and around the penalty area.
  29. Flicked - Varying in complexity within the six-yard box, almost at any height.
  30. Backheeled - Invariably cheeky.
  31. Dinked - A party-size version of the impudent chip, necessitated by an onrushing goalkeeper.
  32. Passed - This decade is obsessed with passing and its rate of completion so it's a little surprising that, despite teams passing opponents to death, they don't find much time for passing the ball in. But where's the excitement in that?
  33. Caressed - A more romantic take on passing the ball in. About as tender as goalscoring gets.
  34. Slotted - Often used with only the goalkeeper to beat (and also, therefore, with penalties), these goals are usually scored with the minimum of fuss.
  35. Steered - The lower-body equivalent of the glancing header, perhaps. Has enough bend to evade the goalkeeper's dive, but not quite the same amount of arc as it would if it were...
  36. Curled Often "delightfully" beating the despairing dive of the goalkeeper, who is beaten all ends up in the process.
  37. Swept - From a grounded position, at close range, often from a cross delivered into the corridor of uncertainty.
  38. Turned Involves the proverbial sixpence, as the goalscorer swivels at close-range.
  39. Stabbed - Not as violent as it suggests, but an ideal form of instinctive, close-combat goalscoring. Requires more power than a goal that is merely
  40. prodded, or
  41. poked home.
  42. Stroked - Like passed, this requires the sort of significant composure found traditionally on the Continent. Stroking the ball home is also an option from the penalty spot.
  43. In off the backside - The hypothetical method by which misfiring strikers' goal droughts (which are measured in games then, knife-twistingly, hours) are recommended to be ended. 
  44. Deflected - Be it slight, huge or wicked, a deflection shouldn't necessarily take anything away from the goalscorer, even if it contributed almost entirely to wrong-footing the opposing keeper.
  45. Own goals (various) - Usually the result of an understandably instinctive, last-ditch attempt at an interception. In these corrupt times, a defender who is said to have "contrived" to turn the ball into his own goal risks being viewed with undeserved suspicion. Oddly, own goals frequently involve the scorer "putting through" his own net. Unfortunate own-goal scorers always have the chance to atone for their error by scoring at the right end (and, therefore, scoring at both ends), even if both goals are literally scored at the same end of the pitch.
  46. Scrambled - The best goalmouth scrambles are almighty ones, especially if they incorporate a bit of pinball in the box. The ball is always scrambled "home", perhaps reflecting the sheer relief of scoring in this kitchen-sink context.
  47. Bundled - Slightly less dramatic than a scrambled effort, but not without controversy - bundled efforts may involve a "suspicion of handball" or a "hint of a foul", both of which sound like Danielle Steel novels.
  48. Plundered - Almost extinct. Long-retired journeymen strikers were said to have plundered their career goal tallies - suggesting they were genuine, fox-in-the-box poachers. Nothing wrong with that - after all, no striker really wants to be known as a scorer of great goals, but not a great goalscorer.
  49. Notched - Again, a wide-ranging term for the simple act of getting on the scoresheet. Apparently (according to an old football history VHS tape from my youth) derived from the late 19th-century act of marking notches on the goalposts to keep score.
  50. Netted - With the increasing obsolescence of the onion bag, less colourful references to the humble goalnet continue to suffice. To be absolutely clear - a goal need not hit the net to count as being netted. Never a problem with the shallow goalmouths of The Dell, though, I recall.
  51. Bagged - It's acceptable to store a single goal in a bag, but it's usually braces or hat-tricks (quickfire or otherwise) that are bagged.
  52. Tapped - Much like the nodded header, tap-ins represent one of the easiest goals a striker will ever score.
  53. Converted - Best used for penalties that are scored in a tidy, unfussy manner - no impudent Panenkas or short run-ups here, thanks.
  54. Dispatched - Bringing satisfaction to no-frills goalscorers and online purchasers for many years now.
  55. Buried - A great (low-altitude) all-rounder. Implies power, decisiveness and technique and, most importantly, the ball not bouncing back out of the net. 
  56. Squeezed - Requires slightly more technique on the part of the goalscorer than its siblings scrambled and bundled, with such fine margins involved.
  57. Slid - Another type of goal that tends to go "home" rather than merely "in".
  58. Floated - Rarely by design, floated free-kicks evade everyone in the box and nestle in the far corner. If it's your team conceding, you'll have spotted this depressing eventuality before the ball even entered the penalty area.
  59. Sailed - More deliberate than floated, and more tranquil a goalscoring method than many above. Usually achieved from free-kicks.
  60. Screamer - the airborne version of fellow goalscoring classic buried, so ingrained is it in match-reporting tradition. Cue John Motson.
  61. Hooked - A fully paid-up volley, but with less emphasis on power than technique.
  62. Acrobatic volley - As if bicycle kicks are some sort of forbidden brand name, some commentators prefer to call them acrobatic volleys.
  63. Dipping volley - Aesthetically pleasing, even more so if they catch the bar on the way in.
  64. Flying volley - Less spectacular than the acrobatic variety, but deserving of its own entry nevertheless.
  65. Clipped - A deliberately subtle or deft touch to a teasing cross.
  66. Trickled - Often the heartbreaking way that a ball enters the goal after a defensive mix-up between a hapless goalkeeper and one of his rearguard.
  67. The slightest of touches - At first, easily mistaken as a free-kick that has found its way into the net. On closer inspection, the slightest of touches is all that is needed for a player to claim it.
  68. Tucked - As tidy as it suggests, often finding its way under the goalkeeper's dive. A low-calorie version of buried, perhaps.
  69. Clinical finish - Popularised by dead-eyed hitman/marksman Ian Rush in the mid-80s. Less stylish than a goal scored with aplomb, but with noticeably more power.
  70. Walking it in - This very rarely materialises, but is often threatened by teams said, by the co-commentator, to be "guilty of perhaps trying to walk the ball in at times."
  71. Cross-cum-shot - Sometimes the dubious phenomenon of being caught in two minds can pay off. Goalkeepers can be left stranded by a convenient cross-cum-shot. But did he mean it?!? Who cares.
  72. Rolled (into an empty net) Unlike the tap-in, which is put on a plate,  some easy finishes need some hard work done first.
  73. Sucked the ball in - This act of external assistance only happens at Anfield, apparently, and probably only on special European nights.

                                                               
  74. Blazed - The most spectacular way to miss a chance, assuming the ball is sent as high over the crossbar as possible. Clipping or shaving the bar is not sufficiently high.
  75. Skied Not particularly cryptic, even if the ball doesn't literally reach the sky - although we are all obliged to joke about the ball being in orbit or, at least, eventually landing in another postcode. If a gargantuan modern stadium renders the sky unattainable, Row Z is considered an acceptable substitute. If in doubt, there's always...
  76. High, wide and not at all handsome
  77. Spooned A more comical take on clearing the crossbar, often explained by our expert co-commentator as a result of "just leaning back a bit".
  78. Screwed - Taking one's eye off the ball can lead to this, as the ball skims off in the opposite direction to the swing of the boot.
  79. Sliced - Slicing a shot so badly that it might even go out for a throw-in is one of the most undignified potential pitfalls of attempted goalscoring.
  80. Dragged - The opposite of screwed, as the ball drifts too far in the intended direction.
  81. Crashed (against woodwork) - Usually against the crossbar, after which the c0-commentator is placed on Crossbarwatch - informing us that it is "still shaking".
  82. Cannoned - More firearms-based imagery, for when the ball rebounds off the woodwork (usually the post, in this case) or another player.
  83. The ball is in the net - Not strictly a miss, but if "the ball is in the net" there's a fair chance the goal has subsequently been disallowed. Jeff Stelling thinks we haven't cottoned on to this hoodwinkery yet, but we have.
  84. If anything, almost hit too well - A complex phenomenon, which is covered in embarrassing detail here.
  85. Fluffed his lines - Football is a pantomime at the best of times, so occasionally a player can fluff his lines from close range. On the other hand, a surprise goalscorer can deliberately deviate from the script.
  86. Squandered - The only things that can be squandered are money and goalscoring chances. Both can prove costly. Squandered also sounds more desperate than merely...
  87. Wasted
  88. Denied by the woodwork - Players and managers are keen to find any excuse for failure, but this act of anthropomorphism is a step too far. The goalposts don't move, after all.
  89. When it seemed easier to score - A damning indictment of a miss, where the goal is gaping
  90. My Grandmother could have scored that - The relative of incredulous choice when voicing one's disapproval at a striker who fluffs his lines.
  91. Sitter - Supposedly originating from game shooting - a sitting target - this is the most traditional way to describe an easy, but squandered, goalscoring chance.
  92. Saw the headlines - Very feasible. In the age of muted celebrations and pointing to the name on the back of their shirts, footballers are hyper-aware of their media coverage. Perhaps a modern take on the established "went for glory".
  93. Wild - An attempt at thundering, hammering or lashing which ends in total failure. One for raw talents. A series of wild finishes runs the risk of being labelled...
  94. Erratic
  95. Snatched at it - Fresh-faced youngsters - even those hailed as wonderkids or starlets - are prone to snatching at chances, possibly with one eye on the potential headlines.
  96. Caught in two minds - Unless it results in a goal from a cross-cum-shot, indecisiveness is never a good thing in front of goal. A rather hasty assumption for co-commentators to make, though - sometimes shots are so bad that they look like aborted crosses, and vice versa.
  97. Opted for power over placement - related to if anything, hitting the ball almost too well. Opting for power over placement often results in merely stinging the palms of the goalkeeper.
  98. Gilt-edged - Tragically, some people think this is actually "guilt-edged", which would only further compound the misser's misery. Gilt-edged or golden (or glorious) chances are only ever deemed to be so when they are missed - no-one has ever successfully converted a gilt-edged opportunity.
  99. Tame effort - Lacking in power, even when some was intended.  Can lead to howls of derision from the fans if the chance is particularly gilt-edged.
  100. Scuffed - Hitting the ball into the ground, but not in a manner conducive to slamming, to the detriment of power and direction. A frequent bedfellow of snatching at a chance.
  101. Air-shot - The most humiliating of all misses, guaranteed to elicit a "waaaaaeeeeyyyyy!" from even the most long-suffering fans.

    Goals may often be unbelievable, but they're never indescribable.

    Thursday 14 February 2013

    On Your Marks....School Sport Survey 2013, by Becca Mattingley

    Preparations for the 2013 School Sport Survey are now well underway as targets are set to beat more participation records.

    Becca Mattingley is leading on the Wales-wide research project for Sport Wales, and explains here what has been done in preparation for the major online sport survey.


    In 2011, Sport Wales conducted the biggest survey of children, young people and sport in Wales to date.  A few short of 40,000 pupils completed an online questionnaire, making this the most successful survey outcome we have seen since these surveys began over a decade ago.
    This survey provides the sports sector with essential information about the state of sport in Wales through the eyes of children and young people.  Pupils tell us which sports they take part in - both in school and in the community - and the types of activities they want to do more of.  We get feedback on their attitudes towards taking part in PE and sport and what they think of sports provision, allowing us to check whether the services provided meet their needs.
    We also get vital feedback from the teachers who provide school based activities – such as how much time and staff resources are put towards providing quality physical education and sport, what activities are provided, how do schools and community clubs link together to provide all-round opportunities for young people? 
    This information will help us understand how the education and sports sectors are delivering, as we aim to provide ALL children and young people with the skills and opportunities they need to participate in sport and enjoy a healthy lifestyle.
    Where are we now?
    ·         During January, we piloted the questionnaire and software, in English and Welsh*, and are in the process of making final checks on the wording and structure of the questionnaires.  We’ve had very helpful feedback from teachers and pupils and as a result have adapted some questions to make them easier to read.  Wherever possible, we’re making the survey quicker to complete while still collecting the data used by Sport Wales, Welsh Government and partners to assess progress.

    ·         Local authority teams and regional officers are putting together their plans for supporting schools in their community in the run up to and during the summer term, when the survey goes ‘live’.

    ·         The Research team and Snap Surveys are setting up the databases and software packages that will hold every school’s results.  Snap will be providing a live monitoring system for Sport Wales and each of the 22 LAs to monitor and track their response rates.

    ·         With input from regional officers and the School Sport Survey Steering Group, we will shortly start to design the templates for the automated reports that will be produced when the survey closes.  These reports will be sent out to every school, local authority and region that qualifies by getting a balanced sample of responses. 
    Sport Wales would not be able to undertake such a large survey without the support provided by local authority staff: sports development teams, active young people teams, education and leisure departments, schools and most importantly, the pupils themselves.  Don’t forget – the survey goes live on APRIL 8th and is open until the end of term.  We want as many schools and pupils to have their say on sport as possible.
    *Special thanks to the RCT Sports Development team, Sport Pembrokeshire,  Caradog Primary School, Ferndale Comprehensive School, Ysgol Penweddig and Ysgol Gymraeg Aberystwyth

    Saturday 9 February 2013

    Guest Post - Getting the Right Man In: Journeys on the Managerial Merry-Go-Round

    Daniel Storey, of Football365 and Sky Sports, deconstructs football's recruitment processes...

    The Chase
    Firstly, it would be foolish to even attempt to recruit a new manager without drawing up a shortlist of names.

    The recruitment process is a two-way street. Managers (who should more readily be referred to as gaffers or bosses) can submit their CVs into the club, and it is usual for a chairman to announce the exact numbers of applications received – “Look how popular our job is!!!" they almost boast. A new PR tactic is to also release a feel-good news story about an application received from a six-year-old child, written in crayon (or from a Football Manager addict). In response, some will remark that “he’d probably do a better job than [insert hapless previous incumbent]".

    There is no specific job site for football managers, but luckily they can all be found at the fairground on the Managerial Merry-Go-Round™, where average bosses can flutter their eyelashes at onlooking clubs. Seasoned managers know that stepping or climbing onto and from the MMGR is amateur: one must hop on/off.

    The Selection
    One of the perks of being a football manager is that they can throne themselves in a managerial hotseatWhile this has no connotation of temperature, we know only too well that a bad run will see them feeling the heat.

    The cliché used upon appointment depends largely on the type of manager. Experienced or ageing players are journeymen, of course, but a journeyman manager is rare, usually instead referred to as a wise old head. If his appointment is underwhelming, he will inevitably have "a point to prove". Young managers,
    meanwhile, will be fresh-faced or fearless - some may even warrant "breath of fresh air" status.

    A returning manager will have unfinished business, and rather bizarrely aim to pick up where they left off. Given that they ‘left off’ by leaving the club, this could surely lead to a weird cycle of rejoining and leaving. The use of "coming home" depends largely on the self-inflated opinion the individual has of his popularity.

    The Reveal
    While new players are presented to or paraded in front of the media, managers are always unveiled, like a priceless Greek statue. The owner or chairman of the club will attempt to persuade cynics that the new boss is the right man for the job and will be looking to "take the club forward". 

    The manager will then speak, and will almost immediately state that the job was too good to turn down (some may even go as far as to say that "it ticked all the right boxes"). Whether this refers to the club or his financial recompense is left unsaid. The club will be referred to as exciting and ambitious, but the greatest praise is reserved for the "passionate fans" (these are, of course, the twelfth man). For "passionate", we can read ‘hopelessly addicted’ (sorry, that should read long-suffering).

    Initially, the aim will be to put down a marker but the use of feet will become evident and crucial - putting your foot down can be interchanged with stamping one’s authority, all in an attempt to hit the ground running, although in this last case feet may be replaced by wings to get off to a flyer.

    Finally, new managers leave the press conference to enjoy their honeymoon period which will be declared over immediately after the first piece of bad news. One hopes that they can at least rely on an upturn in fortunes hailed as the "new manager effect", a mathematical formula that ensures that the manager will win his first game in charge.

    Wednesday 6 February 2013

    A Brief History of Dubbing


    Some football clichés appear to be invented by a secret committee - not unlike the shady Dubious Goals Panel - who are referred to only as "they". "Never go back, they say", erm, they say. Nobody listens. 

    But "they" are also responsible for football's obsession with dubbing. Not the dubbing that cruelly denied John Wark his only line in Escape to Victory, but rather that of dubbing (or, alternatively, hailing) a player with some unhelpfully comparative praise.


    They Have Dubbed Me "The New Ali Dia" - buy the T-shirt here
    The New Maradona
    The most frequent act of dubbing, so much so that it has its own dedicated Wikipedia page. The threshold for required similarity to the original Maradona is rather low, hence (apologies here, #footballhipsters) the dubbing of Juan Román Riquelme and, rather puzzlingly, that of former Middlesbrough starlet Carlos Marinelli. 

    Lionel Messi has faced many understandable questions about his New Maradona dubbage, often choosing to laugh them off or at least acknowledge the flattery (footballers are often flattered by speculation, a quaint Jane Austen-esque football cliché) but it won't be long before The New Messis emerge to endure similar fawning.

    The Maradona of...
    This is a much more creative alternative to the previous act of dubbing, with a dash of humility too - this player, it implies, may not be Maradona's equal but, well, he's the best we can come up with, yeah? The list of Diego's regional variations is almost endless, but here are some highlights, listed in ascending order of absurdity:

    • Gheorghe Hagi - The Maradona of the Carpathians - understandable, and deservedly grand-sounding.
    • Emre Belözoğlu - The Maradona of the Bosphorus - already pushing it.
    • Saeed Al-Owairan - The Maradona of the Arabs - thanks to some pathetic Belgian defending.
    • Ali Karimi - The Maradona of Asia - bestowing dubmanship of an entire continent is just poor form.
    • Ostrava's Maradona - Milan Baros - Who? WHO dubbed him this?
    • Alan Judge - The Irish Messi - Terrace wit is to blame here, it seems.
    • Luciana Aymar - The Maradona of Hockey - Oh for f...
    • Cristian Levis - The Maradona of Basingstoke

    Football is fond of flogging a dead horse (often to the tune of Sloop John B), and less glamorous dubbings are to be found everywhere. Ipswich Town signed Veliče Šumulikoski in 2008, their fans appetite whetted by his billing as "the Macedonian Steven Gerrard", although a penchant for frequently overhit crossfield passes was never established. Gianluca Vialli is attributed, perhaps libellously, with hailing new winger Gabriele Ambrosetti as "the Italian Ryan Giggs" during his time at Chelsea. Nowadays, the act of dubbing/hailing has rather lost its value, so keen are we to unearth The Next Gareth Bale before the original one reaches his mid-twenties.

    Elsewhere, more poetic dubbings can be found. In a rare act of dub-on-dub violence, the old Maradona was a notable victim of Andoni Goikoetxea, who earned himself the fearsome moniker of The Butcher of Bilbao. The similarly uncompromising and no-nonsense Miguel Ángel Nadal was dubbed the "Beast of Barcelona", which was perhaps a bit much. Even football matches, such as the infamous Battle of Santiago, are not safe from the dubbers.


    Yours in cliché,

    The Brian Glanville of Zone 3.

    Monday 4 February 2013

    Six months after the Games by Professor Laura McAllister

    After a memorable 2012 comes a new year of challenges in Welsh sport. Professor Laura McAllister explains how Wales is focussing its legacy effort.



    Six months on since the floodlights were turned off at the spectacular Olympic Park in Stratford and I am keen to reflect on the progress that has been made towards achieving our Vision for Sport in Wales.
    I am genuinely pleased with many of the reports of the surge of interest at our grassroots clubs across the country. You can find evidence of this from Welsh Gymnastics (20%) and Swim Wales (39%) who have both seen big increases in their membership levels in the last quarter of the year (link to hot topic story). Pleasingly, reports of more boys wanting to take up gymnastics shows the power of how watching their new heroes medal in London can instantly transfer to interest in our communities.

    Other sports - athletics (12%), cycling (24%), Boxing (33%) and hockey (32% of clubs) – have also reported significant increases, while we have also been impressed by other sports like canoeing who have told us of the 30 new clubs that have been established in Wales, as well as the big numbers now on Welsh Sailing’s learn to sail programme, and the legacy plans in disability sport such as their focus on the inSport programme.
    On the other hand, there are sports that have not seen the same initial growth, which is a cause for great disappointment. Why have some sports and clubs managed to prepare and market themselves so well and held the door open to new participants, while in other sports the unique opportunities presented by London 2012 would seem to have been lost?

    Thankfully, the overall picture is positive but, as we develop our new Partner Investment Principles, let me be clear that it is those who have shown they can be successful by planning and boosting the numbers of young people involved in sport who will be looked on as strong and reliable partners in achieving our vision when we have to make difficult funding decisions.

    We must always remember that public funding is a privilege and not a right, and we will look at every penny that we invest in Welsh sport to ensure that we make the most of the resources we have to get every child hooked on sport and to punch above our weight on the elite stage.
    As a Board Member of UK Sport I know how difficult decisions on funding can be. The recent funding announcements leading up to the next Olympics and Paralympics in Rio 2016 give an indication of the culture which exists in sport. Those who show they can achieve are rewarded, while those who do not meet expectations and targets will not be allowed to drift.

    This attitude is something our Board at Sport Wales are fully behind as we move forward over the coming months and years, particularly as we have another fantastic opportunity to promote sport with the Commonwealth Games in 2014.
    Returning to the grassroots again, I am still slightly concerned at the lack of evidence from some partners on planning for our workforce needs in Wales. It is all well and good coming up with targets and ambitions for increases in participants, but this must be married with detailed planning for coaches, volunteers and the paid workforce to support it.

    We have seen positive gains in our work to develop young leaders and to support elite coaches, just for two examples. Around 1700 Young Ambassadors have been recruited across our primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities this year to act as sporting role models, while working in partnership with Sports Leaders UK and several governing bodies we have trained around 6,000 young people in leadership skills to be able to deliver and assist sporting opportunities in schools and communities.

    On the high performance side, we have nine elite or aspiring coaches part of the UK-wide Inspire/Aspire coach mentoring programme – including Welsh Gymnastics coach Olivia Bryl, who was recently named Young Coach of the Year at the UK Coaching Awards.

    But until the workforce agenda is a regular item at every board meeting, and prominent in every business plan for partners, then we are missing the opportunity for real progress. Make no mistake, Sport Wales will be scrutinising our own work in this area too, particularly as we look at how we can support the grassroots so that they have access to information, support and funding when they need it. At the moment, research is showing that this knowledge and support is the exception rather than the rule.

    More than ever, the last six months have focused on the importance of schools and the whole education sector to our work for sport.

    You will all know that we now have a Joint Ministerial Task and Finish Group which will be reporting on its work later in the year and again highlighting the vital importance of PE and physical literacy.
    I am very much of the opinion that a school with sport at its heart is a high performing school.
    And on the subject of evidence, we are now making final preparations for our biennial School Sport Survey.

    To achieve the largest survey of school pupils in Wales in 2011 was very encouraging for us, particularly leading up to 2012. But there were also many local authorities and schools who did not get the appropriate data because they did not get sufficient response rates.
    It is a fair question to ask: how they can plan to grow, resource and invest without this detailed picture of sport for young people?

    The level of data collected through the School Sport Survey in 2013 will allow us to make considerable headway in understanding what is happening ‘on the ground’ and understanding pupils’ attitudes towards sport and physical recreation. It will also inform decisions we make on planning, which is why it is so important for our partners – particularly in local authorities – as we look to build on the major events in London in 2012 and Glasgow 2014.

    More than ever, we will be using this evidence-based research to influence the decisions we make on our resources – as I’ve touched on above.

    2013 will see us continue to push forward with an added emphasis on women and girls, ensuring child poverty and sport is at the fore of our work and making inroads into getting other under-represented groups participating in sport. Sports plans without these areas included are not sports plans that are meeting the needs of all of our citizens.

    Finally, I want to end this latest blog with a word on Dr Huw Jones, our Chief Executive who has just announced his intention to retire from his position later this year.

    Huw has made such an incredible impact on sport during his time at Sport Wales, including 15 years as Chief Executive, and the fruits of his hard work, enthusiasm and professionalism will be a lasting legacy. Huw has been a superb colleague to me and to you all, and he will be a hard act to follow. On all of your behalfs, I would like to thank Huw for his fantastic work for Welsh sport.

    But this is an opportunity for us too and we look ahead to the recruitment process for a new CEO at a time when Sport Wales’s stock is sky high and the profile of sport in Wales is so positive. I will have more updates on progress as we continue to find the right person with the energy and drive to continue to propel us towards our Vision for Sport in Wales.

    Sport has never had such a high profile, but with that comes even greater scrutiny.  Huw has steered the organisation through significant cultural change, setting a new ambitious vision and targets along the way. I can reassure you all that we will not be diverted from the strategic direction that has been put in place, for the simple reason that it is the right one.

    Mae’n chwe mis ers diffodd y llifoleuadau yn y Parc Olympaidd trawiadol yn Stratford ac rydw i’n awyddus i edrych ar y cynnydd sydd wedi cael ei wneud tuag at gyflawni ein Gweledigaeth ar gyfer Chwaraeon yng Nghymru.
    Rydw i wir yn falch o glywed am y cynnydd yn y diddordeb yn ein clybiau ni ar lawr gwlad ar hyd a lled Cymru. Mae tystiolaeth o hyn i’w gael gan Gymnasteg Cymru (20%) a Nofio Cymru (39%), dau gorff sydd wedi gweld cynnydd mawr yn lefel eu haelodau yn ystod chwarter olaf y flwyddyn (link to hot topic story). Ac mae’n bleser clywed yr adroddiadau am fwy o fechgyn eisiau cymryd rhan mewn gymnasteg, sy’n dangos bod gwylio eu harwyr newydd yn cipio medalau yn Llundain yn gallu trosglwyddo’n uniongyrchol yn ddiddordeb newydd yn ein cymunedau ni.
    Mae chwaraeon eraill - athletau (12%), beicio (24%), bocsio (33%) a hoci (32%) – i gyd wedi cofnodi cynnydd sylweddol hefyd. Ac mae sawl camp wedi gwneud argraff fawr, fel canŵio, sydd wedi dweud wrthym am y 30 o glybiau newydd sydd wedi cael eu sefydlu yng Nghymru, yn ogystal â’r nifer fawr sy’n rhan o raglen dysgu hwylio Hwylio Cymru yn awr, a’r cynlluniau treftadaeth mewn chwaraeon anabledd, fel eu ffocws ar y rhaglen inSport.                
    Ar y llaw arall, mae yna chwaraeon nad ydynt wedi gweld yr un twf, sy’n siom fawr i ni. Sut mae rhai chwaraeon a chlybiau wedi llwyddo i baratoi a marchnata eu hunain mor dda, ac wedi agor y drws i gyfranogwyr newydd, ac eto mewn chwaraeon eraill mae’r cyfleoedd unigryw a gyflwynwyd gan Lundain 2012 wedi’u colli yn ôl pob tebyg?   
    Rhaid diolch bod y darlun cyffredinol yn un cadarnhaol ond, wrth i ni ddatblygu Egwyddorion Buddsoddiad Partner newydd, gadewch i mi ddatgan yn glir mai’r rhai sydd wedi dangos eu bod yn gallu bod yn llwyddiannus drwy gynllunio a rhoi hwb i nifer y bobl ifanc sy’n cymryd rhan mewn chwaraeon fydd yn cael eu hystyried fel partneriaid cryf a dibynadwy ar gyfer cyflawni ein gweledigaeth pan fydd raid i ni wneud penderfyniadau cyllido anodd.
    Mae’n rhaid i ni gofio bob amser mai braint, ac nid hawl, yw arian cyhoeddus, a byddwn yn edrych yn fanwl ar bob ceiniog y byddwn yn ei buddsoddi mewn chwaraeon yng Nghymru, er mwyn sicrhau ein bod yn gwneud yn fawr o’r adnoddau sydd gennym ni i gael pob plentyn i wirioni ar chwaraeon ac i ragori ar ein disgwyliadau ar y llwyfan elitaidd.
    Fel aelod o Fwrdd UK Sport, rydw i’n gwybod pa mor anodd yw gwneud penderfyniadau am gyllid. Mae’r cyhoeddiadau cyllido diweddar sy’n arwain at y Gemau Olympaidd a Pharlympaidd nesaf yn Rio 2016 yn arwydd o’r diwylliant sy’n bodoli mewn chwaraeon. Mae’r rhai sy’n dangos eu bod yn cyflawni’n cael eu gwobrwyo ac ni fydd y rhai nad ydynt yn bodloni’r disgwyliadau a’r targedau’n cael llithro o’n gafael.          
    Mae ein Bwrdd ni yn Chwaraeon Cymru’n gefnogol i’r agwedd hon wrth i ni symud ymlaen yn ystod y misoedd a’r blynyddoedd nesaf, yn enwedig gan fod gennym ni gyfle ffantastig arall i hybu chwaraeon gyda Gemau’r Gymanwlad yn 2014.
    Gan ddychwelyd at lawr gwlad unwaith eto, rydw i dal yn poeni braidd am y diffyg tystiolaeth gan rai partneriaid o gynllunio ar gyfer anghenion ein gweithlu yng Nghymru. Mae meddwl am dargedau ac uchelgais ar gyfer cyfranogiad yn dderbyniol iawn, ond mae’n rhaid priodi hyn â chynlluniau manwl ar gyfer hyfforddwyr, gwirfoddolwyr a’r gweithlu di-dâl, i’w cefnogi.  
    Rydyn ni wedi gweld cynnydd cadarnhaol yn ein gwaith ni i ddatblygu arweinwyr ifanc ac i gefnogi hyfforddwyr elitaidd, fel dwy enghraifft. Mae tua 1700 o Lysgenhadon Ifanc wedi cael eu recriwtio eleni yn ein hysgolion cynradd ac uwchradd ni, ac yn y colegau a’r prifysgolion, i weithredu fel modelau rôl mewn chwaraeon. Hefyd, gan weithio mewn partneriaeth â Sports Leaders UK a sawl corff rheoli arall, rydyn ni wedi hyfforddi tua 6,000 o bobl ifanc mewn sgiliau arwain, i allu cyflwyno a helpu gyda chyfleoedd chwaraeon mewn ysgolion a chymunedau.                  
    O ran perfformio ar lefel uchel, mae gennym ni yn awr hyfforddwyr elitaidd, neu hyfforddwyr sy’n anelu at fod yn rhai elitaidd, ar raglen mentora hyfforddwyr Inspire/Aspire y DU – gan gynnwys hyfforddwraig Gymnasteg Cymru, Olivia Bryl, a gafodd ei henwi’n ddiweddar yn Hyfforddwr Ifanc y Flwyddyn yng Ngwobrau Hyfforddi’r DU.
    Ond hyd nes bod agenda’r gweithlu yn eitem reolaidd ym mhob cyfarfod bwrdd, ac yn amlwg ym mhob cynllun busnes gan bartneriaid, yna rydyn ni’n colli cyfleoedd i sicrhau cynnydd go iawn. A chofiwch, bydd Chwaraeon Cymru’n edrych yn fanwl iawn ar ein gwaith ni ein hunain yn y maes hwn hefyd, yn enwedig os ydyn ni am edrych ar sut gallwn ni gefnogi chwaraeon ar lawr gwlad, fel bod ganddynt wybodaeth, cefnogaeth a chyllid pan mae arnynt eu hangen. Ar hyn o bryd, mae’r gwaith ymchwil yn dangos mai eithriad yw’r wybodaeth a’r gefnogaeth hon, yn hytrach na rheol.                        
    Yn fwy nag erioed, mae’r chwe mis diwethaf wedi canolbwyntio ar bwysigrwydd ysgolion a’r sector addysg yn ei gyfanrwydd i’n gwaith ni dros chwaraeon.
    Rydych chi i gyd yn gwybod bod gennym ni Grŵp Gorchwyl a Gorffen ar y cyd â Gweinidogion yn ei le erbyn hyn, a bydd yn adrodd yn ôl ar ei waith yn nes ymlaen eleni.     
    Rydw  i o’r farn bod ysgol sy’n rhoi lle canolog ac allweddol i chwaraeon yn ysgol sy’n perfformio ar lefel uchel.
    Ac wrth gyfeirio at dystiolaeth, rydyn ni ar hyn o bryd yn gwneud y paratoadau terfynol ar gyfer yr Arolwg yr ydym yn ei gynnal bob dwy flynedd ar Chwaraeon Ysgol. 
    Roedd sicrhau’r arolwg mwyaf ar ddisgyblion ysgol yng Nghymru yn 2011 yn galonogol iawn i ni, yn enwedig yn ystod y cyfnod yn arwain at 2012. Ond hefyd roedd llawer o awdurdodau lleol ac ysgolion na chawsant y data priodol am nad oeddent wedi sicrhau cyfraddau ymateb digonol.         
    Mae’n gwestiwn teg i’w ofyn: sut gallant gynllunio i ehangu, darparu adnoddau a buddsoddi heb y darlun manwl yma o chwaraeon ar gyfer pobl ifanc?
    Bydd lefel y data a gaiff eu casglu drwy Arolwg 2013 ar Chwaraeon Ysgol yn galluogi i ni wneud cynnydd sylweddol o ran deall beth sy’n digwydd ‘ar y tir’, a deall agweddau disgyblion tuag at chwaraeon a hamdden gorfforol. Bydd hefyd yn sail i’n penderfyniadau ni ar gynllunio, a dyna pam mae mor bwysig i’n partneriaid ni – yn enwedig mewn awdurdodau lleol – wrth i ni edrych ar adeiladu ar y digwyddiadau mawr yn Llundain yn 2012 a Glasgow 2014.
    Yn fwy nag erioed, byddwn yn defnyddio’r ymchwil yma sy’n seiliedig ar dystiolaeth i ddylanwadu ar y penderfyniadau rydyn ni’n eu gwneud am adnoddau – fel rydw i wedi’i grybwyll uchod.
    Yn 2013 byddwn yn dal ati i wthio ymlaen gyda phwyslais cryfach ar ferched a genethod, gan sicrhau bod tlodi plant a chwaraeon yn cael lle blaenllaw yn ein gwaith ni hefyd, a sicrhau cynnydd o ran cael grwpiau eraill a dangynrychiolir i gymryd rhan mewn chwaraeon. Nid yw cynlluniau chwaraeon nad ydynt yn cynnwys y meysydd hyn yn gynlluniau chwaraeon sy’n diwallu anghenion ein dinasyddion ni i gyd.       
    Yn olaf, fe hoffwn i orffen y blog diweddaraf yma gyda gair am Dr Huw Jones, ein Prif Weithredwr ni sydd newydd gyhoeddi ei fwriad i ymddeol o’i swydd yn nes ymlaen eleni.            
    Mae Huw wedi cael effaith anhygoel ar chwaraeon yn ystod ei gyfnod yn Chwaraeon Cymru, gan gynnwys 15 mlynedd fel Prif Weithredwr, a bydd ffrwyth ei waith caled, ei frwdfrydedd a’i broffesiynoldeb yn dreftadaeth barhaus. Mae Huw wedi bod yn gydweithiwr rhagorol i mi ac i bob un ohonoch chi, a bydd yn anodd llenwi’r bwlch mae’n ei adael ar ei ôl. Ar eich rhan chi i gyd, hoffwn ddiolch i Huw am ei waith rhagorol dros chwaraeon yng Nghymru.
    Ond mae hwn yn gyfle i ni hefyd edrych ymlaen at y broses recriwtio ar gyfer Prif Swyddog Gweithredol newydd, ar adeg pan mae Chwaraeon Cymru yn uchel iawn ei barch a phroffil chwaraeon yng Nghymru mor gadarnhaol. Bydd gen i fwy o newyddion am y cynnydd wrth i ni barhau i chwilio am y person mwyaf priodol; person sydd ag egni a brwdfrydedd i barhau i’n symud ni tuag at ein Gweledigaeth ar gyfer Chwaraeon yng Nghymru.
    Dydi chwaraeon erioed wedi mwynhau proffil mor uchel, ond ynghlwm wrth hynny mae mwy fyth o graffu. Mae Huw wedi llywio’r sefydliad drwy newid diwylliannol sylweddol, gan bennu gweledigaeth a thargedau newydd uchelgeisiol ar hyd y daith. Gallaf eich sicrhau chi na fyddwn yn gwyro oddi wrth y cyfeiriad strategol sydd wedi cael ei roi yn ei le, am y rheswm syml mai hwn yw’r un iawn.