AROUND 50 primary school youngsters aged between six and 11 got a taste of the Olympics at the Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre centre at Garon Park.

They were those who attended a special “come and try” Olympic sports two-hour taster session held at the Eastern Avenue venue.

The occasion was the first of the young ambassador days for youngsters who have been picked by their schools for excelling in sport or who have shown outstanding leadership skills.

The YAs are representives from secondary schools in the borough, including Shoebury-ness High, Southend High for Girls and Boys and Cecil Jones College.

The YAs created the two-hour taster sessions in five Olympic sports: basketball, athletics, fencing, judo and badminton.

The session was opened by platinum ambassador Sasha Antoine with a talk about the Olympics and how the group were ambassadors to raise the profile of sport and promote the Games’ values leading up to the 2012 London event.

The YAs organised the whole event with support from their mentors, Selina Fox and Kirk Edwards from the Southend East School Sport Partnership.

They had to organise the venue, coaches, advertising and marketting, equipment, refreshments, posters, the teams responsibilities and media.

Mark Schofield, head teacher at Shoeburyness High School, was delighted with the way the event had gone. He said: “We are very proud of the Young Ambassador team.

“They have excelled themselves and are a real inspiration to other young people in the area.

“They have acted as true role models within both school and the community.

“The London Olympics are a once in a lifetime experience and these young people are already using them to make a real difference.

“Watch this space — there is more to come from these fantastic students.”

If you are in school years seven to 11 and are interested in becoming a young ambassador for 2012, make contact with at: selinafox@shoeburyness.southend.sch.uk