In Pictures: 17 amazing photos of the magic of the 2025 Black Country School Games
It was a day for youngsters from across the Black Country to run, jump, throw, kick, dive, learn new skills and make new friends as they represented their schools at an annual celebration of sport for the whole region.
More than a thousand youngsters from schools in Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton came to the Walsall campus of Wolverhampton University to take part in the Black Country School Games.
The event, which is in its 14th year, is an annual opportunity for youngsters from Years 1 to 10 to compete in a range of different sports, as well as take part in different activity trails and try out new sports like golf, kabaddi and wrestling.
Spread across the campus, there were competitions going on everywhere, from cricket for Years 5 and 6 at Walsall Cricket Club to dance in the main hall, from dodgeball for Years 7 and 8 in the sports hall and handball for Years 9 and 10 on the outside courts, while multi-skills competitions for Years 1 and 2 were also taking place, featuring everything from target throwing to shuttle runs.
Set in glorious sunshine, the competition for medals was evident, with teams cheering each other on and celebrating their successes, but there was also a sense of fun and friendship in the air, with areas for dancing and playing alongside the main competition.
Among the schools taking part in the different competitions was Netherton C of E Primary School, with sports coach and pastoral lead Adam Ludlam saying the event would provide memories that would last forever.
He said: "It really is something different for them today and to be involved in this is massive because it'll be like a football game when they're older and it's just something they'll remember forever.
"It's also important for them to experience competition like this and, obviously, we want them to try and win because that's part of life and learning to win is a life skill, but it's also about just loving the experience."
