The Leadership Academy programme was introduced by Youth Sport Trust in October 2009 as a means of bridging the leadership gap between Sports Leaders UK Level 1 (formerly known as JSLA) and the Step into Sport community volunteering programme.

The Leadership Academy is a team of sports leaders in each school who work to support the PE department and School Sport Co-ordinator in the delivery of physical activity in both their own secondary school and their family of primary schools.

Shelfield Sports Partnership has two Young Ambassadors in each secondary school who will take on more of a lead role within their school's Leadership Academy. This will sometimes mean representing their school at Walsall LA events or on visits to primary schools or leadership courses. To meet the Shelfield Young Ambassadors click the logo 

Leadership Academy Launch

Thursday 29th January 2009 saw the launch of the Walsall Leadership Academy at Forest Arts Centre in Leamore.
Streetly and Willenhall Sports Partnerships had joined with Shelfield for a Walsall wide programme involving 18 schools, 115 students and approximately 25 members of staff.

Every secondary school in Walsall was represented with most schools providing two Young Ambassadors and between four and six members of the Leadership Academy (making a total of between six and eight per school!)

Students were presented with their Leadership Academy kit of polo shirts for the Leadership Academy and tracksuits for the Young Ambassadors. They then participated in three 50mins sessions of Team Building & Theory, Tag Rugby and Judo. The principle idea behind these activities were to get the students to get to know each other in a fun and relaxed environment, and in the case of tag rugby, give them a taster of one of the training opportunities on offer to them this year.

At the end of the afternoon the Shire Oak LA gave a short presentation showing the impact they have already had in their school with the setting up of a Year 7/8 extra-curricular club called 'Get Fit, Have Fun' which has been running since the start of January.

Team building challenge "spiders web"

Sumo Challenge in the judo workshop

Action from the tag rugby

First LA Training Opportunity

Around 70 students from the Walsall Leadership Academy attended Willenhall Sports College on 6th March 2006 to participate in either Badminton, Tag Rugby or Football Leaders Awards . This is the first step on the leadership and volunteering ladder. It is expected that these students will make themselves available in their schools to put their new skills to good use - either in their secondary or primary family schools.

The next training opportunity is on 21st May 2009 at Willenhall Sports College. Courses on offer are Junior Football Organisers Award (JFO), Rounders Leaders Award and Badminton Junior Helpers Award. If you have not handed your preferences form in you must email Saul Wallis at Willenhall School Sports Partnerhip immediately.

If you have any questions about the Walsall Leadership Academy please email and we will get back to you immediately