SPORTS

TWO NEW KENT SPORTING STARS OF THE FUTURE

A few weeks ago the first ever National Talent Orientation Camp was held for Britain’s rising talent in five Olympic sports. One hundred young people from across the country took part in the four day event, and two of these stars were from Kent.

Dean Terry, a sixteen year old from Lyminge, Folkestone is an up-and-coming flatwater kayaker, one of only five at the event. In the 2006 season Dean competed in GB under-16 teams in international competitions, and is predicted in 2007 to become one of Britain’s leading junior athletes in Sprint Kayaking.

Hannah Moon, a fifteen year old from Deal, is a leading junior rower (at almost six foot she very much measures up to the recent national “tall athlete” search by UK Sport), who only got into her sport three years ago, but this Easter will be in Belgium training with Team GB rowers.

The National Talent Orientation Camp aimed to prepare those attending for the personal, sporting, academic and vocational challenges that lie ahead, and when we put these challenges to Dean and to Hannah, and asked what they thought their own challenges might be, this is how they responded;

Personal challenges? The mental strength to keep training, even when it’s cold, and even when you’re tired, and the challenge of training alone (a challenge faced by both Dean and Hannah in their chosen sports)

Sporting challenges? For both they agreed a lack of training facilities, and training partners, in Kent, for their specific sports

Academic challenges? Fitting in time to study for GCSEs was an unsurprising response here. Taking time off school for distant competitions was also raised.

Vocational challenges? Neither Dean nor Hannah have yet decided what long term future career they might wish, but received advice at the Camp that they should choose their university by their sport rather than academic subject, if they wish to go on to university

Each day at camp consisted of keynote speeches, presentations and workshops, as well as sport specific training sessions and rest slots for the young athletes. There was also an opportunity for all those attending to take part in an army exercise (more about team building than crawling through muddy pools) and to meet sports stars such as Dame Kelly Holmes (patron of Kent’s Campaign for the 2012 Games), Olympic rowing silver medallist sisters Guin and Miriam Batten, and Great Britain wheelchair basketball player Clare Strange.

When asked what they enjoyed most, and least, about the Camp, Dean said that meeting new people who could understand and empathise with being a junior sporting talent was the best part for him, but he didn’t enjoy so much the very hot curry (simulating training/competing in international countries. 100 people consumed 600 pots of plain yoghurt!!). For Hannah, the best thing was the talks and the videos – she particularly found the London 2012 promotional videos very powerful and inspiring – but she was less keen on the tightly packed schedule of the four days – having mocks to sit the day after the camp ended but no time to revise!

When asked to sum up what they each feel the most important attributes are to becoming a successful young athlete, both responded that it’s all about the attitude: phrases such as “killer instinct”, “not being happy to come second”, “doing more than people expect”, “going above your comfort zone” and “making yourself hurt” were all put forward, and when asked to describe themselves in three words, both Dean and Hannah chose similar language again, Dean described himself as “friendly, determined, hard working”, Hannah as “ambitious, focused, chilled out”.

We wish both Dean and Hannah all the best with their sporting careers, and look forward to seeing them on a medal podium in 2012 or 2016!