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Child Inactivity Under Scrutiny As We Ask 'Has Britain Got Talent?'

Team GB Basketball are hoping that a nationwide hunt to find Britain’s most talented cheerleaders, to support their home games in August, will get teenagers up off of the sofa.
Leisure, Lifestyle - 19 May 2010   Download IconContent available for download:  
Audio | Interview with Tessa Crow and Mike Godolphin| Login to Download

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  News Hooks:

Latest NHS research shows that boys were more likely than girls to meet the recommended levels of physical activity with 32% of boys and 24% of girls taking part in 60 minutes or more of daily physical activity.

In recent years basketball and cheerleading have grown in popularity with basketball now becoming the third most popular sport in the UK and cheerleading now has 500 competitive teams across the UK and is accepted as a recognised way to get active.

Famous talent spotters are now using YouTube to audition troupes of cheerleaders and the top troupe will perform live at Team GB Basketball home matches in August.

. Introduction:

We're just days away from a new half term, the last break before the summer holidays! Many teenagers will spend their holidays inside playing computer games and watching TV and with Britain’s Got Talent reaching its climax it's likely that teens will be thinking more about getting famous than getting active. An unlikely partnership however may be the answer, as talent spotters have teamed up with Team GB basketball and are on the hunt to find Britain’s most talented cheerleaders to support the home games this August.

But are teenagers really willing to break into a sweat to find their fifteen minutes of fame?

Joining us in the studio is Tessa Crow from Future Cheer and Mike Godolphin from Butlins.

. Suggested Questions:

What is the level of child and teenage inactivity in our area and what are the consequences?

Can popular sports and activities like cheerleading really make teenagers fitter?

How physically demanding is cheerleading and why do we need to encourage teenagers to be more active?

Why are you searching for a cheerleading troupe to support the Team GB basketball squad?

How can hopefuls use the internet to audition for the contest?

Where can we find out more information?