In little over a week, I'll be making my way to Sheffield for the sixth Sainsbury's UK School Games. This year, the Games will see over 1,600 elite young athletes competing over four days in the multi sport event across 12 sports, disability events in five sports and demonstration events in three. There are two new sports this year including wheelchair basketball and women's rugby sevens.

The Games is delivered by the Youth Sport Trust and is the only multi sport event of this scale where athletes are able to experience an environment similar to a major sporting event like the Commonwealth Games. There's even Opening and Closing Ceremonies and an Athletes Village. The success of the event has been made possible with the support of the Legacy Trust UK, Sainsbury's and a host of other partners – including Sport England, which has invested National Lottery funding this year to support the inclusion of the two new sports and the expansion of the existing sports to include disability events.

Year-on-year, the Games has provided opportunities to the UK's top young athletes and after this year's event, a staggering 10,000 competitors, will have taken part since 2006. Hundreds of volunteers, officials and coaches give their free time to support these athletes and without them, let's face it, the Games would just not happen. When the final match is played on September 4, over 2,000 volunteers and officials will have supported the Games since its inception.

There have been a lot of highlights for me over past six years, but each year there is always one thing that stands out and that's the opportunity that these youngsters get to live and breathe a major sporting event. The multi sport aspect is truly remarkable and certainly simulates what it's like competing in a major event and the challenges that come with it. I would have jumped at the opportunity if this was around when I was younger.

It can be a learning rollercoaster for some; being exposed to such large crowds, the pressures of media attendance, the disappointment of no medals, poor performance, but these factors are all true to any major sporting event.

Lots of athletes have been disappointed if they didn't go on to win, but that's what it's all about. You aren't going to win every time and it's important that these youngsters experience this in order to develop and grow stronger. The most important aspect is that these talented athletes can use the Games experience to catapult them to success in major sporting events. They see it as a platform to succeed in the elite sport arena, when it really does matter, with medals at stake. Competition between athletes is so important to their development and is the most valuable asset of a young athletes make up. The buzz and excitement among medals winners is really special and it's these moments that encourage and motivate the young athletes to follow their dreams.

Another highlight is the tremendous support available in the background, like former athletes like me who are there to support the young stars and an entire raft of young volunteers and coaches who give their time to support others to succeed in their sport.


Last year in Newcastle, the atmosphere at the volleyball games was incredible; the energy of the players, the crowds getting behind their respective teams and the close matches, made it a spectacular event to feel part of.

It has been great to see the very best young people in the country competing and some that have taken part in the Games have gone on to represent their country at national and international level.  Paralympic gold medal winning swimmer, Ellie Simmonds competed at the very first Games in Glasgow in 2006, before catapulting to national and international success.  Her story is a great example of what young athletes can achieve through consistent hard work and determination and how the Sainsbury's UK School Games was the platform to her elite recognition.

The Games has played host to a number of GB stars that have gone onto achieve great success. Nineteen-year-old international gymnast, Reiss Beckford won gold in 2006 at the Games and went onto to win silver in the 2010 Commonwealth Games.  Reiss is now competing in worldwide and national gymnastic competitions, whilst training for the London 2012 Olympics.  Swimming star Emma Wilkins won gold at the 2007 UK School Games and recently competed for Great Britain in the World Championship team at Shanghai.  Both Reiss and Emma are real life examples of how the Games have acted as a catalyst for the nation's top young athletes.

In my role as Youth Sport Trust ambassador, I visit schools across the country ensuring that young people are inspired to get involved with the event. A lot of the work I do is focussed around talking to young people of all abilities and encouraging them to take part in sport, whether it's picking up a racket for the first time or perfecting a 100 metres sprint. Wherever I am, I'm consistently trying to get young people to see how taking part in sport can improve social skills like increased confidence and team work. At such an exciting time for sport it is more important than ever to get young people engaged and help them to realise how it can positively impact their lives.

Jason Gardener is a School Sport Ambassador for the Youth Sport Trust. The highlight of his career came when he won Olympic gold as part of the British 4x100m relay quartet at the Athens Games in 2004. Other achievements include a gold medal over 60m at the 2004 World Indoor Championships and a hat-trick of 60m European Indoors Championships title, as well as being made an MBE in 2005.  This year's Sainsbury's UK School Games are taking place in Sheffield from September 1 until 4. For more information on the event and to buy tickets, click here.