Marching Forward from schools to grassroots sport

March has been a busy and exciting month for Maccabi GB, with a variety of initiatives aimed at engaging young people in sport and expanding our grassroots programmes within the Jewish community. From hosting primary school netball tournaments to launching new PE initiatives, we continue to create opportunities for participation and growth.

One of the highlights of the month has been our Primary School Netball Tournaments, which provided fantastic experiences for young players and showcased the enthusiasm for netball within the community. Our Mixed Year 4 Netball Tournament saw three schools take part, with 45

players competing and 25 spectators cheering them on. In a thrilling final, Kerem Red emerged victorious, edging out Rimon 3-2. Meanwhile, our Year 6 Girls Netball Tournament demonstrated significant growth, with 13 schools fielding 19 teams, a 36% increase from last term. A total of 180 players participated, supported by an impressive 100 spectators. The final was an exciting clash between MMK and IJDS Red, with MMK securing a 4-2 victory. Our final tournament of the term was the Year 5 and 6 Mixed Netball Tournament, featuring 110 players from 11 teams and a further 50 spectators. A hard fought final was won by IJDS Red who beat Alma 2-1. Over the course of the month we’ve engaged with 335 young athletes.

Beyond competitions, our PE programmes continue to provide structured sports education in schools, ensuring that pupils have regular opportunities to stay active. This term, we have been delivering PE sessions at IJDS, Torah Temimah, Nancy Reuben, and Gesher. A particularly exciting development is our new initiative at Gesher School, where we have introduced tennis sessions for primary school pupils. This marks an important step in expanding the range of sports available to young learners, promoting physical activity in an inclusive and engaging way. Additionally, our after-school clubs at Torah Temimah and IJDS continue to provide further opportunities for pupils to stay active beyond regular school hours, helping to develop their skills and confidence in sport.

In addition to our work in schools, we are taking strides towards strengthening the wider Jewish grassroots sports community. One of our key projects is the development of a Grassroots Community WhatsApp Group, which will serve as a central hub for Jewish grassroots sports. The aim is to create a network where schools, clubs, and individuals can connect, share updates, and collaborate on initiatives. Within this group, there will be dedicated sub-groups to facilitate targeted discussions and ensure that members can engage with content most relevant to them. This initiative has the potential to enhance communication, promote local sporting events, and further integrate grassroots sports within the Jewish community.

Our Grassroots Sports Clubs continue to run successfully, providing regular opportunities for people of all ages to stay active and engaged. The Maccabi GB Grassroots Basketball Club, the Maccabi GB Strollers Walking Football Club, and the Maccabi GB Table Tennis groups are all carrying on with their weekly sessions, offering a fantastic way for participants to stay involved in sport in a fun and inclusive environment.

We were pleased to launch our Maccabi GB Professionals in Sport Committee, made up of a number of people involved in the organisation, running and participating in Jewish sport across the country. The committee met and discussed their aims and objectives. They will be discussing how to implement the new Maccabi GB strategy, focusing on sport, health and wellbeing.

Looking ahead, we are excited about continuing to develop our programmes and create more opportunities for young people to get involved in sport. With growing participation numbers and new initiatives on the horizon, Maccabi GB remains committed to fostering a thriving sporting culture within the Jewish community. We appreciate the ongoing support from schools, families, and community members, and we look forward to the three exciting Grassroots Sports Community Events coming up in the near future.

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See below links to the rest of The Jewish Chronicle sport articles for January:

14th March - Click Here

21st March - Click Here