This entry was posted on Thursday, December 18th, 2014at 10:08 am by zoe.leahy@activenation.org.uk

Olympic Beach Volleyball Star Set To Inspire At Active Nation

An Olympic beach volleyball star is coming to Active Nation to help inspire youngsters to take up the sport.

GB beach volleyball player Zara Dampney says she is looking forward to visiting the Sportivate ‘Discover Volleyball’ project at Active Nation’s Bitterne Leisure Centre in Southampton in January and February.

Sportivate is the £56 million National Lottery funded Olympic and Paralympic legacy initiative that gives 11 to 25-year-olds who aren’t particularly sporty free coaching in a new sport and then helps them find low costs ways to continue to play.

Zara was a member of the successful Team GB that won a record number of medals at London 2012 and is a Sport England Sporting Champion. She said: “I’m really looking forward to this exciting Sportivate project in Southampton.

“I cannot wait to help them get them into sport and share my experience of proudly representing my country at a major Games”.

“Sportivate is a fantastic way of getting young people into sport and that is something I am really passionate about.

“I believe that as a Sport England Sporting Champion, I can inspire everyone in attendance to raise their aspirations of what they can achieve and motivate them to be the very best versions of themselves that they can be.”

Jayne Molyneux from Sport England, said: “It is great to see Zara helping inspire young people taking part in Sportivate to carry on participating in a sport they may have never tried before.

“Our Sportivate programme is all about listening to young people and putting on taster sessions in a sport of their choice to help them make the step into community sport and set them on the path to creating a sporting habit for life.”

The Sportivate Discover Volleyball course for 14-25 year olds will run for 6 weeks from Friday, January 23^rd from 5pm-6pm and will cost just £15. Sign up today and get to meet and train with Zara on January 30^th and February 20^th. The project has been funded by Sport Hampshire and IOW who provide Sportivate funding in the area on behalf of Sport England.

Active Nation’s Zowie Lindfield added: “We are all excited about introducing young people to volleyball through Sportivate – the fact that we will be having an Olympic star on-board will be inspirational for everyone involved. Get in touch today if you want to take part.”

This course will then be followed by another 6 week course funded by Volleyball England. Other Sportivate courses running in the New Year include: Handball – starting Monday, 12th January from 4.30pm-5.30pm; and Ultimate Frisbee from Wednesday, February 18^th from 4.30pm-5.30pm. All of these 6 week courses cost just £15.

For more information and to book a place visit Bitterne Leisure Centre reception or call 02380 426839.