Concept2 has closed a deal which sees it become the first Business4Sports Leaders partner of Sports Leaders UK. The partnership, which was confirmed at Leisure Industry Week, is the start of a programme to pilot a new and unique Concept2 Indoor Rowing Leaders award across the UK. The partnership will give the indoor rowing machine specialists an opportunity to form an award accredited by Sports Leaders UK to produce qualified leaders in indoor rowing. The Concept2 award will focus specifically on young people to help develop Britain's sporting legacy across UK schools. On September 23 at LIW, Katharine Merry - bronze medal winner for the 400m sprint at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, officially launched the partnership. Katharine said: "I fully support Sports Leaders UK awards and I'm sure that their newly formed partnership with Concept2 will have a big impact on young people's participation in sport". Tom Kay, Head of Education at Concept2 commented: "We are delighted to become the first Business4Sports Leaders partner. The partnership with Sports Leaders UK is exciting in that it has given us the opportunity to offer a unique course which will use indoor rowing as a medium to help people learn to lead. There are so many advantages to indoor rowing and we hope that through this award, we will develop leaders who are able to enthuse and motivate others to get involved in physical activity." "Indoor rowing in schools is something that we already push through the Concept2 Schools League but this partnership will place an even bigger emphasis on the benefits of getting involved by providing young people with the confidence to lead, inspire and motivate others through indoor rowing." The Business4Sports Leaders partnership offers a unique opportunity for Concept2 to be involved with the country's foremost sports leadership training programme, providing access to over 200,000 young people primarily aged 9 to 19 years and over 3,500 delivery centres across the UK. Roz Hopwood, Head of Awarding Body at Sports Leaders UK said: "The Concept2 Indoor Rowing Leaders Award equips young leaders with the skills they need to deliver exciting and worthwhile indoor rowing activities. Aspiring leaders will learn skills ranging from leading indoor rowing group training routines to holding mini-leagues or competitions. In addition to this, the award will help leaders to grow in confidence and self belief. The personal journeys that people undertake whilst learning to lead will stand them in good stead for their future careers and for life itself." For further information on the Concept2 Indoor Rowing Leaders award or to become a Concept2 Sports Leader, contact Tom Kay at Concept2 on 0115 945 5522 or email tomk@therowingcompany.com. Further information on the new partnership between Concept2 and Sports Leaders UK will be available at the School Sport Partnerships Conference 2009 which will take place at The International Centre in Telford on 14 and 15 October. For details go to www.youthsporttrust.org