Collective Worship Resource for schools - Sporting Heroes

AIM:

To use the topical annual event of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year to provide opportunities for reflecting on the theme of people we admire and who set a good example.

PREPARATION:

You will need:

Background information - the date of the 2006 programme is Sunday December 10th. For the first time in the history of the competition viewers will vote by telephone on the day to decide the winner. For details of past winners and nominees for the main award and related awards go to www.bbc.co.uk/sports and click on the link to 'Sports Personality'.
The shortlist was published on December 4 and includes Zara Phillips - Princess Anne's daughter (horse-riding - eventing); Andy Murray (tennis); Monty Panesar (cricket) and Beth Tweddle (gymnastics).

INTRODUCTION:

Ask children to share information about the sports they enjoy and those in which they participate - typical answers will no doubt include football, cricket, gymnastics, judo, karate and swimming. Ask pupils to identify sportsmen and women who they think are the best in these sports. Which of these people do they most admire? Who are their sporting heroes?

DEVELOPMENT:

Ask the children if anyone knows what important sporting event will take place / took place on December 10th 2006. Establish that on the second Sunday in every December, since the year 1954, the BBC Sports Personality of the Year show takes place. This year, for the first time, viewers can vote for the winner. Ask children if they know of anyone who won the competition in the past. Who won it last year? (Freddie Flintoff). Can they name a previous winner who is also a member of the Royal Family? (Princess Anne). Establish that many sportsmen and women hope that one day they will win the Sports Personality of the Year Award because is means that members of the public (viewers) have remembered their achievements and wanted to vote for them. This year viewers can vote during the programme - just like in The X Factor or Strictly Come Dancing. Do the children know who is/was in the running for the 2006 Award?

Explore with the children what makes a Sports Personality - include achieving something memorable, e.g. winning the Olympics or a World Championship, being the best in a particular sport. Then explore the idea that sometimes the Sports Personality Award doesn't go to the best in the world but to someone who has done their best or sometimes to someone who has achieved something despite a disability - some children may have heard, for example, of Tanni Grey Thompson, the wheelchair athlete. Explore the characteristics of bravery, determination, commitment to hard work, etc.. These people set us a good example to follow.

Many schools have a range of pupil awards - explore the ones that are pertinent to your particular school context. Ask the pupils to think of other 'Personality of the Year' awards that they might like to see in school, e.g. 'Kindest Pupil of the Year Award', 'Most Helpful Pupil of the Year Award', 'Friendliest Pupil of the Year Award'. Can they think of who they might vote for in these categories? Who sets a good example? Are there any awards they could win?

PRAYER AND REFLECTION:

Play some quiet music in the background and ask the children to think about people who they look up to and who mean a lot to them. After a few moments, invite children to join in the following responses:

For all the men and women in the world today who have achieved great things

We give you thanks

For all the people in our school who have won awards

We give you thanks

For all the people who show us kindness

We give you thanks

For all those who are friendly to us even when we are not friendly to them

We give you thanks

Help us this day to do our best and to keep on trying even when we feel like giving up

Amen

Following a few moments of stillness, this may be an appropriate point at which to distribute any school awards.

LINKS WITH OTHER AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM:

PSHE:	Think about a new award that could be given in school. Draw up a list of criteria to judge the winner.
ENGLISH:	Prose or poetry writing: 'My Hero'.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION:	Children with particular sporting skills could be invited to demonstrate these to others.

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THE COLLECTIVE WORSHIP RESOURCE - TOPICAL ITEM - PRIMARY

Sporting Heroes - BBC Sports Personality of the Year