Leicester-Shire & Rutland Sport Annual Review 2008 - 09
To find out more about all the excellent work for sports development in Leicester-Shire & Rutland together with a feature on talented athletes, visit the LRS website
Local Awards
For the third year running the HDSAA hosted the Special Award at the Harborough Mail Sports Awards 2008. Click on the link below for details of all the awards and winners.
Harborough & Lutterworth Mail Sports Awards 2008
Club Accreditation
Many of the sports clubs in the Harborough District have achieved accreditation through their National Governing Body with CLUB MARK or through Leicester-Shire & Rutland Sport. Accredited clubs are quality assured and provide excellent opportunities for all to get involved and succeed in sport. To find out more or if your club would like to work towards accreditation please contact Andrew Watson on a.watson@harborough.gov.uk / 01858 821289 or visit the CLUB MARK web site.
Recognition
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Charlie Tully:
Charlie is currently ranked at No. 4 in the Leicestershire U12s tennis ranking
list. He has competed in many tournaments both singularly and in teams. The
Kibworth Tennis Club's U12 boys team came 2nd in the NJCL division one.
The Kibworth High School tennis team (which Charlie is part of) have for
the first time reached the regional final (date to be confirmed), beating
Lancaster Boys, Leicester Grammar, Loughborough Grammar and Longfields of Melton Mowbray along the way.
He won his first tournament of the summer holiday at Greenfields Tennis
Club. He continued his success with good results throughout the Summer
tournaments regularly reaching semi and quarter final positions. He competed in the
Leicestershire County Closed and came in the final eight of a sixty four draw.
Charlie would like to thank the HDSAA for contributing to his training, it
has been a great help. Charlie will be competing in the U14s next year.
- Jack Hall: Jack received an HDSAA grant to assist him with his triathlon commitments. He said:
"I was very pleased to get a grant from HDSAA. I attended the IRC's
(inter-regional championships) for triathlon held at Aldershot Garrison
which, is where the Great Britain team will have their holding camp for
2012. THe East Midland team came 6th overall and I came 3rd individually, I
did a 300m swim, 9.6k bike and 2.5k run. I was very pleased with my result
as last year I was 15th.
This weekend I travelled to Manchester with Rugby & Northampton Athletics
Club where we had qualified for the final of the Young Athletes League. I
competed in the 800m and the 4 x 400m relay. the team came 2nd overall and I
did 2.17 for 800m which is a PB.
- Sam Watts: Sam received an HDSAA grant which enabled him to undertake dive training in Scotland. He now hopes to pass on his skills by teaching others with the Leicestershire Scouts Sub Aqua Unit.
Olympics 2012
Tha HDSAA has launched its new Olympics page with details of local athletes, events, clubs and our plans for developing an Olympic legacy for the Harborough District.
National / International Achievments
- Justine Ogden: Justine has achieved gold at the 2008 World Baton Twirling Championships in Ireland!
- Tom Owen: Tom of Lutterworth has recently been selected for the Windsurfing Olympic Development Squad and said of receiving an HDSAA grant:
" The Grant has helped me a great deal. During this past year it has been used to pay towards my training and my coaching qualification which I now have achieved. I spent a large portion of the money on one to one training to focus on all of my weak points of sailing leading to better results in racing. I have travelled all over the country competing at various levels from regional to national, and this month I will be travelling to Weymouth for two major UK events, one of which will be a qualifier for membership to the Transition squad, which will help me develop my skills further therefore giving me a chance of being selected for the national youth squad. On becoming National squad it gives me the chance to become part of the Olympic development programme and hopefully if all goes well I may be in with a chance of being in an Olympic games, which is my ultimate ambition. Currently I am ranked fourth in the UK Inland series which consists of numerous events around the country that take place on a lake. I also take part in the national cup events (sea events) currently theres not a ranking list for this but I would think that I'm in the top ten, all of these events consist of the best young sailors around the country that are aiming for the ultimate goal of Olympic champion. Earlier this year I also attended the National Youth championships at Pwhelli this was a hard but huge learning experience for me my aim was to go and see how the event worked so that the 2009 event would be second nature and I could focus on a good result helping me in my efforts to get selected for the National youth squad. I would just like to say a huge thank you to HDSAA for their help an support this year."
- Rachel Roberts: Rachel of Kibworth plays rounders for England and has sent the report below following her HDSAA grant:
"I first acknowledged Rounders when I was 8 years old, when moving into the area.
My mum started to play for Market Harborough Ladies Rounders team, and I would go and watch/support.
12 yrs old is the youngest age you can be to start playing, due to the danger of the sport.
I started to play with Market Harborough Ladies team, a huge honour as they were (and still are) a first division team.
The team taught me all about the sport; how to play, tactics, skills etc.
It was through the captain of the time (Flo Wallis) that I actually attended England trials at the age of 16 years old.
I would compete and work with others showing the skills that I had and the team work that is so vital in the sport.
I was extremely privaliged to be invited into the team (under 17's) as trials were competitive with only 12 players being selected.
I continued to improve over the year, becoming the most improved England player.
I have now been part of the England squad for 4 years, playing for under 17's, 18's, 21's and Ladies teams. I am still as proud as I was the first time to sing the national anthem and beat the Scottish and Welsh....
Every game is different and I have made some great friends over the years.
It is extremely hard to receive any funding/sponsorship as it is curently not an Olympic sport, and it is completely self funded (accomodation, travel etc).
I am therefore extremely grateful to be receiving this money as it means an awful lot to myself; being a University student.
