The PExpo took place at DCU yesterday and revealed the depth of talent and creativity that exists within Ireland’s schools.
More than 200 projects were on display looking at every aspect of sport and physical activity.
Wellbeing and nutrition were very much to the fore with detailed presentations cutting to the core of questions including why there was a shortage of information and supplements tailored to young girls in sport, the role of influencers, the impact of criticism on player performance and the impact of training at different times of the day.
This event is now in its eighth year and has the foundations in place to become as big and important in the coming years as the BT Young Scientist Exhibition.
Bearing in mind that 2022 is the first full year in which PE will be fully examined as part of the Leaving Cert Curriculum the potential is massive.
Sport for Business has long been an advocate and we were there yesterday to select winners from the Junior and Senior Cycle for the Business of Sport category.
The Senior Cycle awards went to a team from Trinity Comprehensive School in Ballymun who took a detailed look at the growing impact of cryptocurrencies in sport, from fan engagement through to the payment of player salaries.
This is such a fast-moving space that it was great to see the perspective of a young and enthusiastic group.
The Junior Cycle winner and the recipients of the Overall Award was a new nutrition product created by Catherine Coll and Kate Carbery (pictured above) together with Chloe Bray and Yasmina Mkarren from Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Clontarf.
Protella may need a bit of legal work on the name but as a description of the product, a hazelnut based protein spread that has less sugar than its near namesake, it caught the eye.
The girls explained that initial tests on creating a tasty protein snack with the right taste and consistency to be popular and good for year took hours but that they had now reduced the sample creation side down to only ten minutes.
Food and energy snacks is a demanding area of business to target but the rewards for getting it right could be huge and with a degree of business mentoring and a spot to present at Sport for Business 20|20 showcase event in September, who knows where it could take them.
Dublin City Council, DCU and Sport Ireland have been strong supporters of the PExpo over the last number of years, backing up the organising committee and their boundless energy.
Decathlon was on board yesterday as a first-time sponsor and that relationship could be a marker for greater commercial backing for the event in future years.
Laura Creighton from the retailer was among those we spoke to on stage in the build-up to the Awards presentation, along with Oisin Foley of Sport Ireland, Hilary Fitzgerald, author of PE Textbook Winning Formula, Garrett Harte, Chair of the PEAI and Sam Madden, Ireland’s Freestyle Football National Champion.
