Endless hours of training and juggling the demands of their sport have paid off for five talented young athletes selected to represent England in AoC Sport’s national teams.
All students at Bede Sixth Form College, their achievements mark a first for the college in Billingham - and what better way to deliver in style than seeing a fabulous five through to the top tier squads?
Lucy, 18, Millie, 17, and Rhianne, 17, have all been named among the AoC Sport England National Colleges’ Netball Team.
Kulreet, 17, scooped a place in the England Colleges’ Football Association (ECFA) Women’s squad, and Archie, 16, in the ECFA National Men’s team.
“It feels like a big achievement,” said keen netballer Lucy, from Middlesbrough, who has been making her name in the sport as part of the Leeds Rhinos Player Pathway and Grangetown Netball Club.
Also playing for Grangetown and Leeds Rhinos (North East) Under 19s, Millie, of Ingleby Barwick, added: “We have all played netball for a good few years, going to training and games every week. We work hard for it.”
Currently with a fractured ankle, an injury sustained in the trials, fellow Grangetown and Leeds Rhinos Player Pathway player, Rhianne, from Sunderland, feared she had knocked herself out of the running and so was over the moon to be named in the national squad.
“I was so upset when I got injured, I couldn’t believe it was happening,” she said. “As soon as that happens you think you will be cast aside but I must have done enough to be noticed.”
Preparing to represent England colleges on the international stage, Archie and Kulreet are making their mark on the football front.
Archie, from Great Ayton, a player for Spennymoor Town under 18s, said: “I have been playing football all my life.”
Proud to have been put forward for the AoC Sport trials by his tutors at Bede, he said: “There’s a lot of competition. I was hoping to make it to the second day of trials but wasn’t expecting to get through to the final squad.”
Also modest about her ability on the pitch Kulreet, also from Ingleby Barwick, said: “I am proud of myself for being selected. I didn’t want to put too much pressure on myself during the trials and be disappointed, so I just tried to get the most out of the experience.”
It clearly paid off as the 17-year-old, who also plays for Durham Women’s FC Under 18s, secured her place.
Competing internationally, a highlight of the competition for Kulreet and Archie will now be the chance to compete in Italy.
All five students are part of Bede Sixth Form College’s Institute of Sport and Education (ISE), a programme aimed at helping talented young athletes to continue to develop their sport alongside their education after leaving school.
Ian Hewitt, Bede’s strategic manager in sport and enrichment, said: “This is a great achievement for these students as hundreds trial to represent the Association of College’s national teams.
“Any opportunity to represent your country is something to be proud of and I know these students will flourish in their game.”
Bede principal, Patrick Jordan, said: “This is a truly incredible achievement for each of the students. The selection process is highly intensive and rigorous and for Bede Sixth Form to have so many students taking part in these teams is a true testament to their dedication and the consistent push for excellence from our Institute of Sport and Education that supports them.”
