Recognition for Staffordshire's Olympic hopefuls

 

Young Staffordshire sportspeople who are making the grade on the national stage and some with an eye on the 2012 Olympics have been recognised by the county council.

 

 

Forty-two young athletes putting pride into Staffordshire attended a ceremony at Cannock Cricket and Hockey Club. They were presented with a cheque from Staffordshire County Council’s Young People’s Sports Performance Grant Scheme. All are members of their national governing body’s performance or development squads and many are already competing for their country in their age group.

 

Olympic badminton player Tracey Hallam relayed her experiences to the athletes at the ceremony. Tracey, from Burton, competed in Athens in 2004, Beijing in 2008 and was Ladies Singles Champion at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. 

 

Tracey said: “It’s fantastic to meet such an array of exceptionally talented young sports people from Staffordshire. If I have inspired them in anyway today then great, but they have certainly inspired me with their achievements and ambition.

 

“The Olympics are the pinnacle of an athlete’s career and I hope to see some of those I met today in London competing at the Olympics next year or perhaps in Rio in 2016.”    

 

County Councillor Pat Corfield, Cabinet Member for Culture, Communities and Customers said: “Staffordshire is very proud of what our young sportspeople are achieving.

 

“I am very pleased to be able to recognise and support so much sporting talent in the county.

 

“Many of these young people are our potential future Olympians and their dedication and commitment to their sport deserves to be rewarded.

 

“It is also worth remembering that these athletes wouldn’t be where they are now without the support of their families and the dedicated volunteer workforce that is the bedrock of our local sports clubs.”

 

Each year the scheme provides funding to support young sportspeople who either live or go to school in Staffordshire and have proven to excel in their field.  The money awarded is used to support the cost of their training and participation in competitions, including expenses such as travel, equipment and accommodation.People receiving the awards were from a wide range of sports including athletics, snowboarding, swimming, canoe slalom and volleyball.

  

Details of award recipients.

 

Staffordshire County Council Press Office
E: staffscc-pressoffice@staffordshire.gov.uk