Each year we take a group of our sports scholars to the GSA Girls Go Gold event as it is a brilliant mix of practical sessions, informative talks and inspirational talks. This year, students were amazingly fortunate to hear from former athletes such as five-time Olympic rower, gold medallist and Chair of UK Sport Katherine Grainger, Olympic Gold medal heptathlete Dame Denis Lewis and England rugby’s all-time most capped rugby player, Sarah Hunter.
The talks were followed by pactical sessions with England Lacrosse head coach Mike Molster, current England Netball superstar Fran Williams, as well as two St Helen’s alumnae Zoe Lovibond and Ella Lovibond coaching in lacrosse and rugby respectively.
Overall, it was a fantastic day with so much to take away. Read below for some of our Sports Scholars key thoughts about the day:
‘My favourite quote from our Girls Go Gold trip was “enjoy it” which Denise Lewis said to us all as her parting gift. I think enjoying sport is the most crucial part of being a sportswoman, and it now just sticks in my head as a reminder that I love playing sport and that I should never forget that – even when I’m injured and tired!’
‘Fran Williams answered the question “how did you deal with setbacks” with “rejection and setbacks are the first steps into succeeding […] the comeback is always bigger than the setback”. I think this is a very good answer because it gives people reassurance that she has been through the same processes and setbacks we will face from injuries and rejection – and she’s now an England player. This gives young people that may have a lack of confidence from setbacks a positive realisation that it will only make them better and no define them.’
