The Programme vyCOOL se! Will Unite Two Major Sporting Events
Wednesday September 2 2009 06:30 PM
The Liberec Region will play host over the following two years to two renowned sporting events. At the end of January 2010 the Olympic Days for Children and Youth (ODM) 2010 for students of primary schools will take place. This competition will also be a practice run of sorts for the year 2011 when the 10th European Youth Winter Olympic Festival (EYOWF) 2011 will take place in the Liberec Region designated for young athletes. The preparations for both of these important events will be linked with a unique accompanying programme which includes active sports, education and entertainment. The programme vyCOOL se!, which consists of up to 40 competitions will kick off on the 9th of September in Vesec.
Petr Doležal, Chairman of the administrative board of EYOWF 2011 has this to say on the events, “ODM 2010 as well as EYOWF 2011 are not events of a commercial character, but are specifically designated for young people and the support of the the development of sports. The organisational committee of EYOWF 2011 which will run both competitions has made use of their united goal and prepared a special programme for the next year and half with the aim of involving young people in sports activities, encouraging them to carry out meaningful free-time activities and motivate them to support both events”.
The idea behind creating an accompanying programme arose from a survey which the Liberec Region and the organisational committee of EYOWF 2011 had prepared by the agency Factum Invenio amongst more than 700 students at twelve secondary schools in the region. The results clearly indicated that young people spend the majority of their free time with computers or watching television while sports activities are largely neglected.
Radek Cikl,Vice-President of the Liberec Region for the department of education, youth, physical fitness and sports summarised the results, “On the basis of this research the programme vyCOOLse! came into being. It includes approximately four dozen events mainly organised in our region. The Liberec Region supports and will pay maximum attention to these events. The leadership of the department of education and sports along with the organisers have acquainted the heads of all of the secondary schools. We are convinced that the majority of them are aware of the fact that we have an important tool at our disposal through we can consciously and systematically influence the young generation and motivate them to get involved in sports and exercise.”
The organisers of both sports festivals EYOWF 2011 as well as ODM 2010 are fully involved in the preparation of the accompanying programme, the formation of which involved intensive negotiations with the heads of both primary and secondary schools throughout the entire Liberec Region. The final form of the programme, including its philosophy and goals, is also the result of mutual cooperation.
Kateřina Nyčová, Executive Director of the EYOWF 2011 Organising Committee explains the mission of the vyCOOL se! programme. “The Programme is a truly remarkable and unique project being the first of its kind in terms of content within the history of EYOWF and ODM youth festivals up until the present. Our goal is to not only involve young people in the busy and unique atmosphere of both major sporting events, but first and foremost generate interest to participate in sports, be active and demonstrate their talent. Individuals, entire schools as well as the general public can take part in the programme. Those with an interest in sports can look forward to in-line skating, baseball tournaments or aerobics while those more artistically inclined can participate in the prepared art competition. There will also be opportunities for those who enjoy quizzes and knowledge competitions.”
Vesec full of in-line skaters and dancers
Although the accompanying programme vyCOOL se! is primarily focused on primary and secondary schools, the adult public can also get involved in selected activities. The programme will ceremonially begin on Wednesday September 9th at the Liberec sports grounds Vesec. The entertainment and competition will be prepared starting in the morning with the programme including a public race on in-line skates and an international FIS Tournament in the Nordic Combined with the participation of the complete Czech national team.
The beginning of the programme will involve the participation of well-known figures from the sports and social life of the Czech Republic, as well as representatives from the Liberec Region and the Czech Olympic Committee. Young people who participated in previous EYOWF festivals will also be joining the programme and supporting event participants.
The first part of the vyCOOL se! programme will last up until February 2010 when the Fourth Czech Winter Youth Olympics will take place. All of the activities of the first part are therefore focused on younger participants. The second part designated for teenagers will fully start off from April and prepare the public for the long-awaited sports highlight the 10th European Youth Winter Olympic Festival2011.
Radana Slaninová, marketing manager for EYOWF 2011 explains the programme as follows, “All of the announced participants in the programme will enjoy the numerous attractions. Each month we have prepared a minimum of one main competitive discipline and varied accompanying activities, for example jumping shoes, Stiga table hockey, the extremely popular game console Wii Fit and many others. Apart from these, each person can choose interesting prizes with a declaration of the most successful school program of vyCOOL se! at the end of the programme. We are also preparing a special motivational programme for teachers .”
The programme for the entire day as well as the time schedule for the events, can be found at www.vycoolse.cz.