Teenage sporting leaders trained at University sessions

Saints favourite Francis Benali will help kick off a new sports initiative at the University of Southampton on Thursday (25 March).

He will launch a scheme to train secondary school pupils aged 14-16 from across the south in sports leadership and volunteering. The training will be led by a team of undergraduate students from the University.

Community Sports Volunteer Development Manager Becky Dance said: "The idea is to give these young people the skills to organise and stage sports days and festivals for primary or special schools over the summer. As 2004 is an Olympic year, many of the events are bound to feature aspects of the Games."

Workshops will include advice on managing the team, the media and the event, health and safety and the importance of nutrition in sport. Running alongside these sessions will be a professional development day for teachers.

The event builds on the Youth Sports Trust TOP Link initiative, which fosters leadership skills in young people and is supported by Nestlé and Loughborough University's Institute of Sport.