SportAbility 2026: A Day of Fun, Inclusion and New Opportunities

Picture the age range: six-year-olds and eighteen-year-olds, on the same pitch, on the same day. This year’s SportAbility saw 60 young people, all ages, all abilities along with carers & staff from four Kent SEND schools arrive at the St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury on 11 September, not entirely sure what to expect. By the afternoon, nobody wanted to leave.

The idea behind the event is simple – to create a fun and welcoming environment where every young person could feel comfortable, have a go at different activities and hopefully leave thinking that sport really can be for them.

A Day Packed With Sporting Fun

There was plenty for everyone to get involved with throughout the day.

A Street Cricket zone provided a range of throwing and catching competitions, while Disability Cricket’s Super 1s challenged participants to smash balls off tees to knock down towers of blocks and test their throwing accuracy by sending clubs flying.

The Fun Zone was another big hit, giving participants the freedom to explore activities in their own way. From the batting net and VR cricket to reaction lights, inflatable equipment, flying drones and a range of cricket challenges, there was always something happening.

Boccia gave participants the chance to take on our EDI Officer and resident GB Boccia champion, Gabriella Rolls, while Table Cricket was also busy throughout the day with traditional Table Cricket and Table Cricket Snooker, testing the accuracy of participants as they guided the ball towards different targets.

We were also delighted to welcome the Charlton Upbeats back to SportAbility. Participants took on football challenges before finishing with a short match, with young people from different schools joining together to play. Seeing participants from different schools mixing together and enjoying themselves was a great moment and showed how sport can bring people together.

From Nervous Beginnings to Big Smiles

One of the most rewarding parts of SportAbility was watching some of the young people grow in confidence as the day went on.

Andrew Gollop from Martello Primary explained that a number of his pupils had been really nervous on the day. However, he felt the inclusive activities and the way the coaches engaged with the young people helped them settle. That was something that could be seen happening throughout the event. Young people who were initially standing back and taking everything in were soon getting involved, talking to coaches and moving between activities.

The Power of a Positive Sporting Experience

A big part of the day was about giving young people the chance to experience sports they may never have tried before. Whether it was cricket, boccia, football or something they found in the Fun Zone, everyone was given the opportunity to try something new and find something they enjoyed. The coaches played a huge part in making that happen.

Over the past year, we have continued to build our team’s experience and understanding of working with SEND young people. That has helped us think more carefully about how we deliver activities, communicate with participants and adapt sessions so that everyone has the opportunity to get involved. SportAbility was a great opportunity to put that learning into practice.

Natalie Barrows, Head Teacher at Martello, highlighted the impact of this approach in her feedback:
“The amount of time and patience all coaches had when supporting the children. They were so positive and it really made the children’s day!”

A Day to Remember

The feedback from the schools was a great way to round off what had been a brilliant day. James Easter, PE Teacher at The Orchard School, said:
“Wanted to say a huge thank you to you and all the staff. I honestly can’t speak highly enough of the day and the effort everyone put in. It was truly a memorable experience, and one that our pupils will not forget. They’ll definitely want to keep coming back each year.”

SportAbility’s Bigger Purpose

SportAbility was never intended to be just another sports day. Those giant clown trousers, the drones, the VR headsets, the Boccia games, the reaction lights — none of it packs away after one day a year. We run four inclusive multisport hubs across Kent, every week, all through term time: Canterbury, Folkestone, Bexley and Bromley. Same cricket-themed mayhem, same coaches, same welcome, just on a Tuesday evening instead of a one-off Friday in September.

If SportAbility gave a young person a taste of what sport can feel like when it’s built around them, the hubs are where that taste turns into a habit — weekly contact, familiar coaches, and the kind of sustained, repeated exposure that turns a single good day into lasting change. Same drones. Same chaos. Same smiles. Every week.

Looking Ahead, we can’t wait to do it all again next year – BRING ON SPORTABILITY 2027!

SEND schools or families interested in our inclusive multisport hubs (Canterbury, Folkestone, Bexley, Bromley) or SportAbility can contact James Nurden — James.Nurden@kentcricket.co.uk. We’re also keen to hear from funders and partners who want to help us grow the hubs and reach more young people like the ones you’ve just read about.