More information
Description
Vagos is perhaps the only municipality on the coast of Portugal where there was no nautical sports project, despite having 7kms of Atlantic coast and 2 inland waterways.
The AEV, through the School Sports project - Desporto Escolar decided to fulfil this gap in the local sports system by creating a project with 5 axes of action:
1
Nautical Sports (Canoeing, Sailing and Paddle) for the 2100 AEV students
2
School and federated competition canoeing with 25 athletes
3
School and federated competition sailing, with 10 athletes and the collaboration of the Clube de Vela in Costa Nova
4
School and federated competition surfin, with 25 athletes and the collaboration of the Vagos Sport Club
5
Nautical activities for the community, with 500 leisure users
Thus, as a school the AEV also takes over a club function by allowing the pupils with the best sport skills the possibility to achieve higher performance levels at sports. This is possible through the collaboration of external entities/organizations, that consequently, also increase their number of practitioners. Therefore, weekly Sailing, canoeing and Surfing trainings will be performed and supporting committees, formed by the athletes’ parents, will be created.
It is also aimed the overall and inclusive sports practice through the approach sports for everybody, either for children and teenagers, or for active adults, elderly people and special communities, to be practised either during school time, or at the weekends and holidays.
Summary of project results
Vagos is a municipality located in the coastal centre of Portugal, with 8 km of coastline and several rivers, but where there were no nautical projects. In 2015, the Vagos School Grouping created a Nautical Centre, supported by the Ministry of Education, filling an existing void in the local Sports System. The Project was created with five axes, with a view to providing the practice: 1. of nautical modalities, in a generalized way, and the creation of a nautical culture, in the school population; 2. of water sports, for the local community; 3. Surfing, with a view to specialisation; 4. Canoeing, with a view to specialisation; 5. Sailing, with a view to specialisation.
The project was aimed, firstly, at the school''s students and, secondly, at the local population and companies, running since 2015. As nothing existed before, two Nautical Centres were created in Vagos and Vagueira, in temporary facilities (four containers), and were acquired new nautical equipments. As nothing existed before, two Nautical Centres were created in Vagos and Vagueira, in provisional facilities (four containers). Over the last seven years, new nautical equipment has been acquired, reaching a number that quality of work.
Activities implemented: - Swimming lessons were held for school children from 8 to 18 years old (2 months per class). - All the 2300 pupils in the school, in their classes, had at least one canoeing lesson per year. - Several actions on ocean literacy were carried out each year with all the 2300 students in the school to improve behaviours. - A school Canoeing club has been created and some have participated in Federation competitions - A school Surf club was created, and some students enrolled in a federated surf club (VSC) - A school Sailing Club was created and some students enrolled in the Costa Nova Sailing Club - The Nautical Centres were opened to the community, allowing adults and companies to use them.
Results and benefits for users, in the 25 months (three school years) of the Project''s duration: - Canoeing: 79 school athletes and 37 federated athletes; - Surfing: 86 school athletes and 45 federated athletes; - Sailing: 50 school athletes and 2 federated athletes; Throughout the project, 4084 students participated in weekly training sessions of the three nautical sports, in about 200 training sessions (regular activity), and 4271 pupils participated in 195 visits of the classes to the Nautical Centre (occasional activities), in a total of 8355 participations in occasional activities and regular activities. Likewise, about 600 adult users practiced Canoeing in the summer and throughout the year.
Importance of the project and impact on the local environment. The practice of water sports, with theoretical and practical awareness-raising activities (litter picking on the beach, videos visits, etc.), has led to a change in the students'' behaviour and to a greater appreciation of the sea and the rivers. It was also good for Vagos to see boats in the rivers again, recovering traditions and having the support of families and public entities. The project improved social cohesion, gained visibility and recognition, both locally and regionally.