SPORTING heroes don’t just have to be the people playing the sport.

That’s the message from a new scheme which piloted at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford on Monday.

The county became the first in the country to take part in Sport Makers, a programme which aims to get people running community sports events in the run-up to the Olympics.

Tristan Hale, sports development officer at the Oxfordshire Sports Partnership, said: “This is all about trying to create mass participation in the Olympic year.

“The Games are happening in London, but this is the way the legacy across the country can work – getting people into sport.People sign up to become Sport Makers and they will then be trained in how to inspire others to get active.”

Oxfordshire is one of nine national pilot schemes, aiming to get 40,000 people volunteering by next summer.

It is hoped at least 500 people will sign up to volunteer for various sports around Oxfordshire in the next few months.

Anyone signing up will get advice and resources on how to get involved, from volunteering at Saturday football matches to encouraging friends to go for a weekly jog in the park.

Backing the scheme in Oxford is Ben Hunt-Davis, Olympic Gold Medal rower at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

The dad-of-three said: “With the Olympics, you have different bits of legacy – the buildings, the legacy of the actual Games.

“But one of the key things is what impact the Olympics will have on the public in other parts of the country.

“This programme isn’t just aimed at getting more rugby coaches into teams, it’s about people getting active.”

Among those learning how to become a Sport Maker at Monday’s convention was 36-year-old cricketer Gary Maxwell.

He said: “The Olympics is a good opportunity to bring the community to sport. With things like cricket, the community is there.”

Fellow volunteer Laura Evans, 27, who lives near Wallingford, said: “Sport is absolutely essential, but a lot of the time people feel they are too busy or unfit, so anything we can do to get more people involved has to be good.”

People can already get involved by volunteering at the Blenheim Palace half marathon on Sunday.

Further workshops and conventions will be held throughout the year.

To sign up to become a Sport Maker visit oxfordshiresport.org/sportmakers.