Ballymoney Wildcats Active 8 Club on the prowl once again

The jewel in the crown however is the Causeway Wildcats.

The Wildcats is a multi skills club aimed at children aged 5-11.

It brings children together to work in a safe and fun environment in neutral venues developing their physical literacy through a structured multi skills syllabus.

At present over 120 children in the two Boroughs of Ballymoney and Coleraine are members of this after schools club, which is the brain child of Sport Development Officers, Roger Downey and Ballymoney’s former Sports Development Officer Richard Gormley along with 2009 Uk’s Children’s Coach Of The Year, Community Sports Officers Stephen McCartney and John Fall.

“Wildcats over the past few years has grown in popularity amongst children and their parents/guardians alike and we’ve always known that we have devised a quality programme, so it is with great pleasure that I can officially acknowledge that ‘Wildcats’ has been chosen by Sport Northern Ireland (SNI) as part of their Activ8 campaign.

“Activ8 promotes the concept that children and young people should be active forat least 60 minutes per day.

“The Wildcats model of multi skills deliveryis seen by SNI as the perfect delivery vehicle to enhance a young person’spositive disposition to sport.

As a result of this coming together,Wildcats will now be known as the Wildcats Activ8 Club,” commented Roger Downey,Coleraine Borough Council’s Sports Development Officer.

The innovative club aims to develop the participant’s core movement skills (agility, balance and co-ordination), enhance their confidence, make them fit and healthy, meet new friends, whilst having incredible fun.

Fun games and teamwork are the key in activitieswhich challenge the children both mentally and physically.

The Wildcats Active 8 Club is theperfect stepping stone to Junior Club participation as it provides childrenwith the basic co-ordination skills required in all major sports.

Ballymoney and Coleraine are fortunate to have a number of quality Junior Sports Clubs and Wildcats acts as a stepping stone to Junior Club participation. Wildcats Active 8 Club hasalready established links with qualityjunior clubs in the area such as: Ballymoney United Youth Academy, Blaze Volleyball Club, Ballymoney Hockey Club, Ballymoney Rugby Club, Ballymoney Table Tennis Club, Riada Gymnastics & Trampoline Club, Coleraine Cricket Club, Coleraine Ladies Hockey Club, Coleraine Football Academy FC. All these clubs provide fully qualified multi skills coaches to deliver sessions in the club.

The club caters for children of all abilities and has attracted many talented children but also those who have not previously shown an interest in sport.

One of the main ethos to the club is allowing children time to develop key sporting/physical literacy skills without the pressure of performing these in a competitive environment.

The Ballymoney’s Wildcats Active 8 Club is due to commence again at the Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre after the Christmas break for another block of ten weeks.

The Wildcubs for boys & girls (5-7yrs) starts on Tuesday 26th January 2010 from 4.15pm – 5.15pm.

The Bronze level for boys and girls (8-9yrs) starts on Monday 25th January 2010 from 4.15pm – 5.45pm.

The Silver Level for boys and girls (9-10yrs) starts on Wednesday 27th January 2010 from 4.15pm - 5.45pm.

The Gold Level for boys and girls (10-11yrs) starts on Thursday 28th January2010 from 4.30pm – 6pm.

The cost for each level for the 10 week block will be 25.

For any further information or to book a place, please call at the Joey Dunlop LeisureCentre 33 Garryduff Rd, Ballymoney or telephone 02827660260.