Caerphilly Celebrates Its Sporting Heritage

Friday 30 September is National Sporting Heritage Day, the perfect opportunity to celebrate sporting stars and local heroes. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Caerphilly county borough has a strong history of producing sporting stars such as Joe Calzaghe and Aaron Ramsey. However grassroots sport has played a major part in day to day life for hundreds of years. The county borough has produced many a Welsh rugby player and cyclist, but also champion boxers, handball players and even Tom Crowley from Tirphil, Champion Quoits player of Wales in 1922. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cycling has always been a popular sport and the New Tredegar Nomads Cycling Club is known across the country. A founding member of the cycling club was John Williams from Cwmsyfiog who went on to represent Wales and Great Britain at many levels including at the 1974 Commonwealth Games where he was the Wales Cycling Team Manager. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A prominent reminder of bygone sports is Nelson Handball Court which was built in the 1860s and held numerous tournaments throughout the 19th and 20th century. Nelson handball Court is now recorded as the only full size ball court in mainland Britain, and is still used by Handball enthusiasts today. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​