Sport Makers FAQs
How do I become a Sport Maker?
What happens at Sport Makers events?
Why do I need to attend an event?
Why do I need to record my hours?
Why should I become a Sport Maker?
I’m under 16 years old, can I still become a Sport Maker?
What sports can I get involved with?
How do I become a Sport Maker?
There are four steps to becoming a Sport Maker:
1. Sign up at sportmakers.co.uk
2. Attend a local Sport Makers event
3. Help organise sporting activity among your friends, colleagues or neighbours
4. Record your sport making activity online and once you’ve done 10 hours, you’re officially a Sport Maker!
What happens when I sign up?
When you sign up to Sport Makers, you are given your own Sport Makers account. You can log in at any time to find out about local Sport Makers events. Your privacy is important to us and we guarantee that your details won’t be passed on to anyone not connected to Sport Makers.
What happens at Sport Makers events?
Sport Makers events last around two hours. They feature four interactive sessions where you’ll learn about the skills needed to make sport happen. You’ll get the chance to discuss ideas for what you want to do and how you’ll achieve it, you’ll meet new sport-loving friends and you’ll have the chance to hook up with local sporting organisations who may be able to help you.
With the chance to meet an Olympic or Paralympic athlete, you’ll leave the event full of inspiration and with all the skills you need to help make sport happen.
Why do I need to attend an event?
To take part in Sport Makers, you need to attend one of our free events first. They give you the chance to think about what you want to do for Sport Makers and how you want to do it. You’ll learn from the experience of others and will get help, ideas and advice from our team of top facilitators. You’ll also get the chance to meet local sporting organisations who can offer you opportunities to make sport happen. Without attending an event first, you cannot record hours with Sport Makers.
How do I make sport happen?
There are lots of ways for you to make sport happen – all of them fun, easy and can be done while taking part in all sports.
You might organise casual games of sport among your friend, colleagues and neighbours. This could mean ringing up friends, booking a court and taking money for a weekly game of squash, for example.
You can encourage people to take part in a project led by one of the country’s organising bodies for sport. This might mean getting your mates involved in something like the FA’s Just Play project, designed to help people have a kick-about.
With the help of a local sporting organisation, you can also make sport happen by helping out at a local event. This might mean marshalling at a local marathon or helping register players for a local tennis tournament.
With the aid of a local sports club, you can make sport happen by encouraging others to join the club. For example, you could hook up with your local cricket club and help them with their marketing to attract new players.
How do I record hours?
Once you’ve started making sport happen, it’s important that you tell us all about what you’ve been doing. We love to know what you’re up to and how you’re making a difference to your communities and we love to shout about your efforts too! Log in to your Sport Makers account, click on the ‘Tell us what’s happened so far’ button and record your sport making hours. Once you’ve done 10, you’re officially a Sport Maker.
Why do I need to record my hours?
Recording your hours is crucial to Sport Makers. For you, it’s a chance to receive recognition for the work you’ve been putting in; as you record more hours, you’ll receive special messages from Olympic athletes for your efforts. For us, recording hours helps us build up a picture of how Sport Makers are contributing to the legacy of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
What are Sport Makers?
Sport Makers, quite simply, make sport happen. They encourage other people to take part in sport of any kind. A Sport Maker might be the person who organises a match among friends; or they might volunteer and not take part themselves, for instance at a sporting event or at a local club.
Why should I become a Sport Maker?
There are lots of great reasons to become a Sport Maker. You get to play the sports that you love and you can do it how you want, when you want and with whom you want. You’ll feel good by helping others, putting something back into the community through sport in the year of London 2012. You’ll learn new skill, meet new friends and might receive help from local sporting organisations. Also, you get free Adidas kit and the chance to secure some great sporting prizes.
I’m under 16 years old, can I still become a Sport Maker?
You have to be at least 16 years old to become a Sport Maker. If you are under 16 but are interested in becoming a sports volunteer then you may be interested in Step into Sport, a programme specifically aimed at 11-19 year-old sports volunteers.
What sports can I get involved with?
As a Sport Maker, you can record hours in any sport that you choose; it’s completely up to you. As a help to you, many of the national governing bodies for sports in England have made offers to Sport Makers. These offers are useful, fun and easy ways to get involved in these sports while recording Sport Makers hours. All of these offers are available to you once you sign up as a Sport Maker.
If there are no opportunities available in the sports you are interested in or you’d rather organise your own, then we can help you set up your own activity and put you in touch with others who may be able to help.
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" I want to see more people enjoying sport, but we need your help to make it happen. So why not take your first step to becoming a sporting hero? "
Sir Steve Redgrave, Rowing Olympic legend
