Reflections 2012: The year sport inspired the nation

By Jon Grubb jgrubb

It’s certainly been a year to remember for sport in Lincolnshire.

We’ve joined the rest of the UK in enjoying a fantastic Olympics, we’ve celebrated the torch procession through the county and we’ve even seen success from our very own athletes.

There’s little doubt 2012 will be remembered as the year when sport as a whole provided inspiration for the nation.

Behind the scenes the Lincolnshire Sports Partnership has been working hard to ensure the dreams of a successful Olympics became a reality.

The LSP was heavily involved in helping to organise and publicise the torch procession and hosted the Egyptian Paralympic Team – helping them to a handful of medals.

And we have made sure that the growing appetite to watch and participate in a wide variety of sport and activity has been supported.

The Lincoln 10k, the cycle Grand Prix, a sports zone at the Lincolnshire Show, National Join In Weekend, the West Lindsey Run Series to name but a few have all achieved huge success with help from the LSP.

The culmination of a great year for the LSP came at the annual sports awards glittering dinner where a record number of local business leaders, sports club organisers and athletes celebrated a fantastic year at the Epic Centre.

But while 2012 has been a pivotal year for sport the real challenges start now.

If we are to ensure the legacy of London 2012 both survives and thrives then we must work even harder in 2013. The LSP will be doing everything within its power to make certain that legacy burns brightly.

We have already developed a detailed strategy – Inspiration to Participation – due to be launched in the New Year. We will continue to support our budding elite athletes through the LEAP programme so we can see the nation’s sporting prowess continue to grow.

Just as importantly, though, are the projects designed to motivate non-athletes to get and stay active or enable others to do so. Sportivate, Jog Lincolnshire and Sport Makers are just three of the programmes that will be on the agenda of the LSP next year designed to encourage everyone to be involved in some kind of sport or activity.

Perhaps most importantly the LSP itself is an embodiment of teamwork – displayed within its own staff and through joint working with many partners around the county.

The LSP’s success depends on its partners and supporters. Without them nothing could be achieved. They rightly share in our achievements and we look forward to another year of positive, fruitful and successful partnerships.

— Jon Grubb is the Chairman to the Board of Directors at Lincolnshire Sports Partnership

Jon is the chairman of Lincolnshire Sports Partnership. He grew up in Louth and returned to the county in 2005 to take the editor’s chair at the Lincolnshire Echo. He left in summer of 2011 to start his own PR company, Grubb Street Media. His is married and lives near Sleaford with his wife, two children and two dogs.