The Bulgarian athletics federation was the host of the 2018 European Athletics Kids Athletics Activators Seminar in Samokov and the packed three-day event from 22-24 February saw participants from 38 Member Federations.
The first day saw a selection of presentations with topics ranging from development through Kids Athletics, Kids Athletics at primary schools and an introduction to IAAF Kids Athletics. Among the expert speakers was Lithuania’s two-time Olympic heptathlon medallist Austra Skujyte.
The second day moved from the lecture hall to the sports hall when participants were given the chance to work with 48 local children, all under the age of 12, and then several sessions focussed on traditional games and activities to involve children in a healthy lifestyle and a practical demonstration of how best to improvise Kids Athletics activities with limited equipment.
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The final day concentrated on the use and implementation of educational cards and case studies from Belarus, Czech Republic, Denmark Hungary and the Netherlands, all of whom have Kids Athletics schemes currently in operation.
Kids Athletics is one of the pillars of the European Athletics manifesto of Your Sport for Life whose mission is to have a life-long relationship with every European, through different and changing activities in our sport.
It forms the foundation of building a greater awareness and popularity of our sport and well as encouraging personal development, fitness and greater responsibility towards the community and environment.
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