Tell us about what do you currently do?
I am currently working in Club Services for the MCC at Lords Cricket Ground. I finished my A levels in 2023 and I am going to Leeds university next year to study Politics, Philosophy and Economics. I wanted to work at MCC in my gap year as I thought this would be an incredible learning experience, combining my fascination with sport with an interest in business economics and societal change. Lords is often described as the 'home of cricket' so I wanted to work for the MCC to get a sense of how sporting history continues to affect us today and how we can adapt it to reflect modern society.
Tell us about your sporting background?
I was always an incredibly sporty kid, playing everything at school from tag rugby to ballet. As I got older I found that sport provided a safe space for me to get away from the complexities of school and growing up. I am now an elite netball player, and I have represented my county in Athletics and my country in Cricket. Over the years sport has given me the confidence to grasp opportunities such as being a youth board member for the Youth Sport Trust. I am currently recovering from a full ACL rupture but I feel like this experience has taught me an enormous amount about accepting the challenges that we will inevitably face and finding the silver lining.
What is your particular area of interest when it comes to accessing sport?
I am really interested in how sport can bridge the barriers between different groups of the population. We are split by so many divisions that seem to only get wider at the moment, and yet sport has the power to bring these communities together through participation, competition and enjoyment. I am excited by the growth of women’s sport in recent years and how this reflects a rise in female empowerment. As a strong, passionate female, I’d love to play a part in giving others girls and women the opportunity to access sport and experience all its physical and mental benefits.
Why did you want to become a member of the Youth Board?
I wanted to become a member of the Youth Board so that I could understand how we can create real change as young people. It can often feel very pointless expressing yourself as a young person but I believe that the Youth Board can give me this platform. I was also really interested in hearing the viewpoints of other young people with such wide-ranging backgrounds and interests and using these different experiences to learn from each other and collaborate to bring about real change.
If you could change one thing about sport or physical activity for young people, what would that be?
The one thing that I would change is the misconception that sport is solely about physical ability. I became who I am because sport gave me the opportunity to make mistakes, to lead, to relate to others and so much more. I fundamentally believe that sport is essential for our mental and physical wellbeing and I do not believe people understand this as widely as I would hope.
Tell us a fun or interesting fact about yourself.
When I was born I had ginger hair and then platinum blond hair and then brown hair, all within the first 2 years of my life. I think my parents were a little confused who I’d grow up to be.