Sporting stars at Tettenhall College
Three teenage sporting stars have proved that determination can win out and lead to great achievements by becoming international champions.
For many people sporting activities have been placed on pause over the past 12 months, with bare football pitches and vacant gymnasiums and many people confined to their homes.
However international gymnast Gabriella Williams, national cricketer Davina Perrin and national cheer-leading champion Scarlett Wright, all aged 14 and students at Tettenhall College, have managed to maintain strict training regimes.
Despite facing challenging practise environments as gymnasiums closed their doors because of the pandemic the teenagers have all found ways to train without apparatus and gym space.
Gabriella, from Wednesfield, used daily zoom sessions to stay fit and in top sporting condition and is now en-route to being selected for the Commonwealth Games in 2022.
Time away from the pitch did not stop Davina from maintaining her striking and fielding skills, alongside her teammates, as they took part in weekly online competitions as well as strength and conditioning programmes.
Davina, who is also from Wednesfield, has now been selected by Central Sparks regional squad, the West Midlands elite pathway that feeds directly into the England cricket squad.
During this time Davina has also found time to become part of the African-Caribbean Engagement programme, designed to support talent from the grassroots to the elite in cricket.
Scarlett, from Bridgnorth, had been selected for Team England before the first lockdown, and has continued to attend seven virtual classes each week, alongside numerous strength and conditioning sessions.
Competitions have recently concentrated on individual skills and she won a national ‘turning’ competition through a submission entry online.
She said that she was continuing to upload weekly videos of her choreography to team England and was looking forward to travelling internationally with the squad once restrictions lift.
Mrs Alison Causebrook, director of Girls' Sport at Tettenhall College, said: "The success of the girls during a pandemic has been incredibly heartening to see."
