After an outstanding performance in Rio this summer when 15 Olympic and Paralympic medals were won by athletes from Loughborough College, individuals and teams linked to the College are in line for no fewer than three accolades after being named as finalists at this year’s Charnwood Sports Awards.
Shortlisted for his Outstanding Contribution to School Sport is Rob Jarram, Sport Development Manager at Loughborough College; Loughborough Student Riders are in the running for Senior Team of the Year and the man at the helm of the basketball squad, Mark Jarram, joins the finalists for Coach of the Year.
Rob Jarram spent five years at Mountfields School as a PE Specialist before joining Loughborough College seven years ago and has since headed a range of initiatives centred on school age sport which have gained national and international recognition.
The School Sport Apprenticeships programme has, since its launch five years ago, seen more than 70 schools host a trained Loughborough College coach to assist with lessons, lead clubs and events and develop community links, boosting sport participation amongst pupils. The programme was rated Outstanding by OFSTED and has created award-winning coaches and schools.
Flames: Lighting the Way, in association with the British Heart Foundation, trained 25,000 young leaders to deliver fun Olympic-themed sport and health activities to children, culminating in festivals organised by students which recreated the Olympic Torch Relay - where all children enjoyed the chance to run with Loughborough College's genuine 1948 Olympic Torch. Flames won a national Podium Award and the coveted international Pierre de Coubertin Vision Award.
Rob Jarram is also Sport Academy coordinator and is strategic lead for the Loughborough Basketball Programme, a partnership between Loughborough College, Loughborough University and Leicester Riders.
Charnwood Sport Award finalists Loughborough Student Riders, coached by fellow finalist Mark Jarram, are part of the programme and the shortlisted team features players currently studying with Loughborough College including Levi Noel, Pakadashe Chingombe, Max Richardson, Sam Broughton, Lucien Christofis and Joe Swindells as well as Will Maynard and Conner Washington, who have both recently graduated from the College and are playing for the Surrey Scorchers and Leicester Riders respectively. Kevin Moyo, who has also recently left the College, now plays for London Lions.
Loughborough College Workplace Learning Tutor Jenny Sugarman said: “I nominated Rob Jarram for this award because of his commitment over a sustained period of time - firstly as a primary school teacher and now as the programme lead for Coaching in Schools at Loughborough College.
“Rob has a real passion for not only improving the quality of PE and School Sport across the borough but also for developing the next generation of sports coaches and teachers.
“His knowledge and enthusiasm for both of these outcomes is commendable.”
Rob Jarram added: “I was surprised and humbled to discover I had been named as a finalist in the Outstanding Contribution to School Sport category at the Charnwood Sports Awards.
“I do this work because I absolutely believe it can make a real difference to children and young people.
“Of course it is nice to be acknowledged by being nominated and shortlisted but it really would be impossible to do what I do without the fantastic support and work of so many other people.”
Pictured: Loughborough College’s Rob Jarram who has been named as a finalist at the Charnwood Sports Awards 2016