Aston Manor School pupils being trained by former Olympic coach

Feb 10 2009 by Kat Keogh, Birmingham Mail

BUDDING Birmingham athletes are setting their sights on sporting glory, thanks to a former Olympic coach.

Pupils from Aston Manor School are being trained to reach their full potential by former Japanese Olympic athletics squad coach Mike Oluban.

Mike, who coached the Japanese team in the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, has been training and mentoring a group of young people at the Alexander Stadium as part of a youth scheme.

“The young people I’ve worked with have tremendous talent,” Mike said.

“Given the right support to channel their energy effectively they can be the best in the country.”

The scheme, which is funded by the Government-run Positive Activities for Young People programme, involves intense athletics training plus working with youngsters on issues including individual responsibilty.

Funding worth just over £8 million has been made available in Birmingham over the next three years to help develop sports, arts and youth activities to increase young’s people’s confidence.

School assistant head teacher Tom Power said the mentoring programme had improved attendance and academic performance.

He said: Mentoring schemes like this are an imaginative way to support the development of young people and their social relationships in and out of school.”

Mike has joined forces with Mike Wynter, a former research scientific officer at Aston University, who is working with the pupils to boost their self-esteem.

The students, who are taken out of their school environment to work at venues including Aston Villa’s ICE Gym and the Blue Whale DJ Studios at the Custard Factory, are also encouraged to talk about their experiences.

Mike Wynter said: “If more people saw the work we are doing at ground level they would understand that such projects are having an impact.”