Sportslinx 

The Sportslinx Project represents a key investment by the City of Liverpool in developing the next generation of citizens, while enabling valid social regeneration within the context of the individual rather than facilities. 

The project continues to develop and break new ground and is still the largest, most innovative, and comprehensive health, fitness, and talent identification study in Europe. 

It has been recognised nationally and has been used as an example of  "Best practise"  within Sport England's Value of Sport Document.

The programme received a special mention within the Capital of Culture Judges winning city summary, and has been promoted all over the UK at major health awareness and sport s development conferences.

Objectives of the project
                       

• Increase the level of children's participation in sport at grassroots level, both inside and outside of the national curriculum.
  
• Provide accurate information regarding the athletic development of children in order to ensure that every child has the opportunity to attain their full sporting potential.
  
• Provide a method for identifying children with sporting ability, advise of opportunities available to them locally and 'fastrack' them into sports specific development programmes.
  
• Promote the advantages of physical activity in terms of health and social well-being.
  
• Establish and maintain effective school and club links.
  
• Give children 'easy to understand' information on current health and nutritional issues.    

Who is it targeted at

• The initiative targets every 9and 10 year old in the city (yr. 5&6). 
  
• Approximately 6,000 per term and addresses a number of central and local government priorities and objectives Academic year 2004/5 will see the programme extended into twenty secondary schools.    

How have the objectives been achieved

The objectives have been achieved by delivering a series of scientifically developed aptitude tests, which are conducted at local sports centres and involve around 70-100 children per testing session. 

These testing regimes are based on the existing Eurofit battery of tests, and provide accurate information regarding: 

• Flexibility/Strength 
• hand eye co-ordination
• Balance /Endurance
• Speed of upper limb
• Body fatness percentage
• Handgrip/Agility.    

Before testing actually takes place children are asked to complete a questionnaire at school with assistance from teachers. In fact many schools are using the questionnaire within curriculum time as part of their health and science module for academic year 5. 

The questionnaire centre's on information around the following: 

• the child's sporting interest
• the child's idea of healthy and unhealthy eating; and
• the child's current level of physical activity.        

This information is collated and analysed by sports scientists and nutrition experts from Liverpool John Moores University.

The data is then used to identify the most popular sports and target programmes of activity. It is also to understand the dietary habits of young children and their perception of healthy eating as well as determining the average amount of physical activity taking place within this age group.