Hello, my name is Jack Sparrow. I'm a 50 year old self-employed Pirate from the Caribbean. It was a fantastic eleven days for the Welsh team in Glasgow, with the eyes of the world upon the athletes, they delivered a record breaking thirty six medals. In terms of medals per million of population we outperformed all other home nations and finished ahead of Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa - all countries with large populations to draw upon.
We saw inspirational gold medal performances from Frankie Jones, Jazz Carlin, Georgia Davies, Natalie Powell and Geraint Thomas. Wherever you looked there were Welsh competitors excelling. From Michaela Breeze returning from retirement to add to her medals in Manchester, Melbourne and Delhi with a bronze in the weightlifting to Elinor Barker at only 19 pushing the two times Olympic champion so close to gold in the cycling points race. Who could forget the gripping excitement of Dan Jervis, in his first ever Games, chasing down a seven second gap in the pool to pip the Australian for a medal in the 1500m swimming.
A new generation of role models, many of them female, came to prominence. We are no longer a nation that relies on one or two competitors to carry us through, we are a nation that expects success and delivers it on the biggest stages. Whilst we should celebrate this success, we also have one eye on the future. Other nations will be going back home to review and look at where they can develop an edge and look to unearth new talent and this is what we are now focused on.
The success shows that the strategy we have and the systems we have developed are working, but we can be more successful, and we believe that we have the winning formula that can take us there. At the very top level, the equation involved for our system to produce a potential medalist is very simple:
Nation of Champions
Talented Athlete + Talented Coach + Appropriate Training and Competition + Institute Support = Success
It is about creating a complete performance environment where an athlete can excel and where success is not only demanded but expected. Through our elite performers committing themselves to constantly improving, our coaches providing the motivation and technical support and adding in the best sport science and medical services, we will continue to see the Welsh flag flying above the podiums. We always state that the investment our athletes receive is a privilege not a right and I can say that all the athletes I�ve come into contact with are only too aware that when they stand on the podium, there�s an army of coaches, volunteers, sport science staff and supporters that stand there with them. We don�t just want to be winning acclaim for the performance of our athletes, but for the systems and coaches we have in place. Gold standard services and Gold medal performances are the goals.
To continue to develop and deliver this vision we know then we have to be in a position to at the very least sustain investment, if not increase it, to further enhance the high performance system in Wales. We must not miss the opportunity the success in Glasgow has brought us, we must search the length and breadth of Wales to not only uncover the next Aled Sion Davies�, Natalie Powell�s, and Jazz Carlin�s. The stars of the future are in our playgrounds, leisure centres and pools right now.
The real game changer to secure long term success is in how we plant the sporting seed at the earliest age and then nurture it through to adulthood. Any young person with a talent should be able to have the support to reach for their dreams, but we must also ensure that we are setting personal podiums for all children and young people. For some Commonwealth glory may be the goal, for others it will be regularly participating with friends, both valid goals, both leading to a more confident, positive Wales. In fact the formula to delivering more participation is not dissimilar to performance sport, it�s about creating the right participation experience:
Every Child Hooked
Physically Literate Children + Talented Teacher + PE and After School Sport + School Support = Success
It�s about children, being able and confident in their skills through PE and after school activity; having a teacher who has the ability and passion to encourage all, regardless of ability, to feel the benefits of activity; and school facilities that inspire rather than deter the next generation. Emphasising the importance of this formula was the basis of our response to the review of the curriculum in Wales that is being undertaken by Professor Graham Donaldson. The review provides a golden opportunity to put physical literacy at the heart of school life in Wales and for us as a nation to make a clear statement that we want our young people to be academically and physically the best prepared for the challenges of adult life.
We are at a pivotal moment where we stand on the cusp of delivering a generational change in Wales, one which will create a lasting step change in both performance and participation in sport in Wales. We have seen in the last few weeks that through dedication, determination and leadership we can achieve our aspirations. From the playground to the podium now is the time to redouble our efforts to create the most active nation in the world. Being brave and bold in our approach and grasping the opportunities that lies ahead of us is the starting line.
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