“Hajime” – What sounds like a powerful sneeze is actually in judo the referee’s request to start the duel. This “Hajime” was often heard in the sports hall of the Dieter Forte Comprehensive School on Saturday (20 August) and Sunday (21 August). Just like the “Tae-Kwon-Do” broken down into syllables and yelled out of children’s mouths. However, there was no Budo competition, but the Talentiade, the sports festival for elementary school children with a talent for movement. After a two-year break, the Talentiade was finally back on the program.
Here the fate with the hockey stick is sighted
“It was a relief that we were finally able to revive the Talentiade after a two-year break due to the corona virus,” explained event manager Boris Kemper. He is an employee of the municipal sports office and is responsible for the complete organization of the program “Check’D – Düsseldorf Model of Movement. Sports and Talent Promotion” responsible. The aim of the Check’D is to record and evaluate the current status of the children’s motor skills and to derive possible support measures from this. In addition, independent projects have been launched to improve and consolidate the children’s physical activity and sporting behavior and to show them new opportunities.
Athletic talent is tested in hurdles and other exercises
This includes the Talentiade, where talented athletes can try out eleven different Olympic sports. The coaches have the opportunity to assess whether the sports talents have a special talent for the respective discipline. During the course of the year, 2,618 second-graders were tested for their motor skills in schools. Those who passed with an A were invited to the Talentiade. That was 160 children, divided into 20 squads, who romped about in the triple sports hall, the two single sports halls and the swimming pool of the comprehensive school in Eller at the weekend. Like a “dry sponge” they soaked up any information about taekwondo, table tennis, hockey, judo, basketball, tennis, athletics, handball, soccer, water polo and swimming. The accompanying parents were able to observe their children from the stands and talk to experts from the clubs about the training opportunities in the individual sports.
The Borussia Düsseldorf team was looking for young talent
Not only the kids had to qualify, the sports also have to meet a catalog of criteria in order to be able to deal with young talents at the Talentiade. It has to be Olympic sports and there has to be a performance base or at least one Bundesliga club for the respective sport in Düsseldorf. If the trainers discover a potential talent during the 25 minutes that the kids are observed for each sport, the child is invited to a follow-up appointment at the clubs or the bases. This is intended to pave the way for the third graders to join clubs and possibly competitive sports. “It was fascinating how calm and attentive the children were,” says Kemper.
Judo was also on the Talentiade programme
