On Friday 11th May, Year 9 students from Mountain and Lake travelled to the County Ground in Hove to take part in the annual DISCOVERABILITY DAY, where students had the opportunity to participate in a wide range of highly inclusive and adapted sports and activities, including Table Cricket, adaptive boxing, JOLF, football, inflatable nets, and a variety of fun challenges. There truly was something for everyone, and the festival atmosphere made the day even more enjoyable. Football and boxing were definitely among the most popular activities on offer!

Students also had the chance to try a sport that was completely new to many of them called Showdown — a fast-paced table sport specifically designed for people with visual impairments, where two players use paddles to hit a ball across the table and try to score into their opponent’s goal. The ball contains small bells so players can track it by sound, and participants usually wear eyeshades to ensure fair play.  Our year 9s really enjoyed this new sport which soon became very competitive!

We love this annual event as it gives our students a valuable insight into some of the challenges that people with different impairments and additional needs may experience when taking part in sport. It helps everyone to develop an empathy, understanding, and admiration for the skill, resilience, and determination shown by so many athletes and individuals.

It was a brilliant day that was expertly organised by Sussex County Cricket Club, and we would like to say a huge thank you to Sussex Cricket for putting on such an inspiring and enjoyable day. We can’t wait to return next year!