Joe Young (Fencer) – Update
December 2008

Joe’s mother Steph sent the following update:

"Joe has just come back from Mödling in Austria where he fought his way into 29th place. Only two of the GB squad went into the next round, so he was very pleased. This trip is one of the competitions paid for by the sponsorship from JWCT. Joe will get several thousand ranking points and push him up to sixth in the country. The other trip your sponsorship is funding is to Friedricshaven in January 2009 and he is hoping to get into the top four to qualify for the European Championships in April 2009.

<The JWCT> sponsorship really makes a difference to us as without the internationals, Joe would not be able to maintain his place in the rankings."

Stubbers Adventure Centre - Update
December 2008

Stubbers Adventure Centre has now purchased the Access 303 Wide sailing dinghy funded by the JWCT. The dinghy, to be used by both novice and experienced disabled sailors, is to be officially launched in the spring following staff training.

Jacqui Gould (Archer) - Update
November 2008

“I've been up to see the England Head Coach who has given me a lot of work to do. I saw him on two sessions over a weekend with a masterclass from the world's best coach squeezed in the middle. I've been given a monumental task of rigorous training and shooting to do, but he did say if I worked hard I may have the opportunity to see him again. If I work really, really hard over the next season he might even pick me for the British team! Everything is coming together now, even if I am completely knackered each day! I'd like to take the opportunity to thank you all for your input this year, if I didn't get to tournaments then he wouldn't have called me up, so thank you.”

Jacqui Gould (Archer) - Update
October 2008

“Just to let you know, the rankings for 2008 are in and I've been placed seventh in the UK!!”

Michael Pope (disabled Multi-eventist) – Update
October 2008

Michael’s mother Maria sent the following update:

”In the summer <Michael> took part in the Four Nations Disabled Badminton Championships in Cardiff and then at table-tennis at the UK School Games in Bath. At the latter he met several Olympians and Paralympians and found this inspirational.

Last week he attended the National Junior Games at Stoke Mandeville from 1-5 October 2008. His results were as follows: Javelin - gold (he set a new record for a National Junior Games), Discus – silver, Shot putt – bronze, Table Tennis – silver, Zone Hockey – bronze.

On 8 October he was awarded the ‘Paul Pearce Award: Contribution to Disability Sport’ at the 2008 Service to Sport Awards. He is absolutely thrilled to bits and we are so proud of him too. On 15 October he has been invited by Paralympics GB to attend the Paralympic Talent Day in London.

On 21-23 November he will be participating in the Four Nations Disabled Badminton Championships in Belfast as part of the Dwarf Athletic Association English Team.

He was invited . . . to the Olympic flag raising event on 24 August and helped raise the flag. He has also started some of the activities he has been offered via the Elite Athlete Support Programme provided by the Hertfordshire Sports Partnership. He was also invited to interview as he was short-listed for the Disabled Star Awards of the OCS Young Sports Person Award. Although he was unsuccessful he was very proud to have reached the interview stage.

He is a very busy young man at the moment - fitting in school homework, athletics and badminton training, strength and conditioning sessions . . . and of course finding time to ‘chill’ and spend with his mates too, which is also important. Once again a big thank you for your support.”

Ben Sneesby (disabled Skiier) - Update
October 2008

Ben’s mother Janet sent the following update:

“Ben got back on Sunday . . . from having his first Youth Development Training Camp in Hintertux, Austria. Ben was the first Youth Development member (now I think that there are five other youngsters) then you go into the Development Team and then hopefully represent GB in the 2014 Winter Olympics. The development director was very pleased with Ben's progress and potential and Ben had one-to-one tuition each day. He has loved it and wants to progress. He was going down gates . . . and has really enjoyed the speed and challenge the trip gave him.

Ben has been told that he has great potential and could be one of the top in the world!!! So he is really fired up!

He has just won some medals at the National Junior Games in Stoke Mandeville and had an article about him in the local press. He won Gold for his age in archery, Gold in his category for backstroke and Silver for backstroke both 25m, bronze for powerlifting and his team won the gold for Zone Hockey and a Silver for wheelchair basketball. So all in all a very successful event. Sport plays a major part in Ben's life and he has just been invited to train for wheelchair basketball with the Regional Team at Stoke Mandeville stadium on a Monday night with a view to playing at a high level too.”

Joe Young (Fencer) – Update
September 2008

Joe’s mother Steph sent the following update:

“Joe fenced in an under-17 (cadet) tournament at the weekend at the Bolton Arena. He fenced well in the morning only dropping one fight in the poules, to his old adversary Jamie Albert, also of Yorkshire. They fought point for point up to time . . . Jamie was given priority, Joe had to win a point in the final minute or the bout was given to Jamie, so he went on the attack. He pushed Jamie back along the piste, but Jamie is a canny fencer and seemed to have a sticky back foot (if he stepped off the back, Joe would have been awarded the point) with 11 seconds to go both fencers lunged and Jamie scored the decisive hit.

Joe was ranked 11th after the morning fights and met Callum Williams of Salle 126, whom he beat convincingly 15-7. He then fought James Ross of Reading, beating him 15-4 to go through to the last 16. Joe then came up against Phillip Marsh of Bath Swords, who is a left-hander. Joe pushed him to the back of the piste to draw attacks and when Phillip responded he was ready to counter-attack. The score stayed even throughout the first two periods of fencing with neither fencer able to gain an advantage, Joe took advice from his coach Adam Blight in the interval and changed his style in an attempt to gain the upper-hand. Phillip was able to match this and edged two points up, Joe pulled back a point and then with time running out, both boys lunged and took a double, giving Phillip the winning point.

Joe finished tenth in this national competition. The selection for the GB team going to Mödling, Austria will take place on 1 October 2008. Joe will be in the top ten and so is likely to be selected.”

Luke Smallwood (Field athlete) – Update
September 2008

“I ran only 0.02 seconds off my PB <personal best> in Ashford on 16 August 2008 and then went to run a leg in a new club record for the 4x400m, so there were many pictures in the paper of that . . . I then ran a PB in the 100m, 11.07 seconds in an open meeting at the back end of August, so considering all my injuries, I didn’t do too bad!”

Luke has now started winter training, with the cold dark evenings approaching. Luke is aiming to have a better recovery between training sessions, hopefully leading to fewer injuries. Luke has also been coaching two female athletes, one of whom is attending the English Schools Combined Event and has already achieved several PBs.

Jacqui Gould – Archer
August 2008

Nick and Tricia (Jeremy’s parents) attended the Kent County Archery Championships in Vigo Village on 17 August 2008. As well as learning a great deal more about archery, they watched Jacqui loose off many of the 144 arrows she had to fire during the day to retain her title of Kent Lady Champion which she has held for the last five years. She also won the Southern Counties Challenge medal, and achieved the most golds and hits, and helped Crown Archers win the Senior Team trophy too! As Jacqui said afterwards, “Not a bad day's work!”

John Francis and three fellow Scouts gave an entertaining and informative presentation on their expedition to Norway on 1 June. During the course of their trip, they had to undertake 11 challenges presented to them on the eve of their departure and they showed great ingenuity in achieving them. They were each awarded their Explorer Belts at the end of the presentation which was attended by Nick and Tricia, Jeremy’s parents. John said “The expedition has inspired me to try and complete my Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, apply for an expedition to Ecuador next summer and look into completing my Mountain Leader award.”