World Cup is catalyst to school sports equipment rush - Sports

With the World Cup in full swing, schools are coming under increasing pressure from parents and their children to provide top class sports equipment.

After England's lacklustre performance in South Africa, many critics pointed to our lack of investment in the sport at a grass-roots level. The growing consensus among professional scouts and managers is that there is simply not enough being done to encourage and develop the talent of England's youngsters. One fan commented, "Just look at the number of young foreign players being signed - it just goes to show we're not doing enough for our kids at home''.

It may well be this factor that has recently begun driving the sales of playground equipment. Football goals & nets, footballs, whistles, inflators and corner flags are all on the list for head teachers looking to jump on the parental-popularity.!|bandwagon and capitalize on what has already proved to be a highly lucrative month for World Cup sponsors in the business world.

However, the chance to kill two bird with one stone is an opportunity too good for some schools to pass up. World Cup fever is an excellent excuse to invest in sports equipment by health-conscious schools with bigger issues on their minds.Consider the fact that one in four children starting school is now considered overweight or obese. Hardly a desirable situation - or the talent pool we need to produce top class athletes With higher investment in playground equipment, schools would be much better placed to tackle the obesity epidemic, and the government is all too keen to see it happen, too. The 2006 target was to see all pupils engaged in at least two hours of physical education a week - but it's a target which is still not currently being met.

It doesn't stop with: the health benefits either. It's been argued that an increase in competitive sport in schools would help control children's aggression, improve both social and communication skills and encourage commitment and team spirit.One head teacher commented, "We can't guarantee to turn your child into the next David Beckham, but at least we can show them how important it is to stay active'' - and that's good for both children and the NHS's pocket.

Just as questions need to be raised over the future of English football, it must also be asked whether the surge of schools to the sports equipment store will really make a difference to our children's health. Is it, much like England's performance in south Africa, a case of too little too late? Perhaps. Of course, there is no magic bullet. But say what you like about football - whether you've loved the last month or loathed it - if it gets more children outside on the sports filed, then we should all be in favour of it.

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