An Update On Our Champions - June 2015

Ira was 15 when he was awarded a Starr Trust Award to pay for two years basketball training, travel costs and his participation in American tournaments.Two years on and Ira has been working and training hard this year, and has almost finished his GCSEs. He has taken 23 exams! He has been accepted to John Madjeski Academy in Reading next year - this is a specialist basketball academy with England Basketball ASSE funding. He will complete his A levels here and live away from home.He has just made the South East England under 17s squad and is about to head out to a basketball camp in the USA and has a trial for a high school in Florida.Alicia was awarded funding aged 11 to continue her tennis training. One of the highlights of the last few months was being asked to step in to the 14U Sussex Girls County Team and represent Sussex at the National County Cup Finals in Nottingham. This was a great honour as, although Alicia plays for Sussex U12, it is a huge step up to play against 14Us. Alicia travelled with the team to Nottingham for 4 days of tennis and she did fantastically well – winning 2 out of 4 singles matches and all her doubles matches. This was a great achievement against girls nearly 2 years older than her.Alicia has trained very hard over the winter months which has been really tough at times although this is now starting to pay off. She trains almost everyday which is tough in itself but she also has to fit school and homework into her routine – she has learnt to cope with this and consequently is now doing really well at school too.Alicia has a couple of National tournaments in Edinburgh and Bath to look forward to in July. At the end of June she is representing Sussex in the 12U County Cup which is a great honour.Alicia’s mother says: “Quite simply, without the Starr Trust Alicia would not be enjoying the wonderful opportunity she has been given to compete with the best national tennis players. Regardless of how successful she is in the long term this experience will stay with her for life and we can’t thank Starr Trust enough for that!”Vaughan left school last year on the 6th June 2014, to be home educated after being diagnosed with special needs. His mother sought a hobby for Vaughan, and found Marina Studios, who took a strong liking to Vaughan and told her about the Starr Trust who funded him to attend dance classes there.Vaughan was so mentally stressed and anxious he hated to speak to anyone or be noticed, he often hid behind his mother and was always on the verge of tears, getting him into these classes was a massive challenge, even though he wanted to do it. He soon earned a certificate for most hardworking and improved individual, and shortly after danced on stage with his dance group at the Dome Brighton.His mother says: “He got up and danced free style at “funk the family” festival in Hove park, not just once, although that first step into the dance space took hours, but from that first step in to that space till we finished up and tried to go home, he danced non stop, past the point of exhaustion, even challenged his two adult teachers to a dance off, made everyone laugh and he involved everyone too, became a real lively motivational dude, it was just breath-taking for me seeing him with such massive confidence.”Jamie was awarded a Starr Trust award aged 18 to continue her tap dance training. Jamie and two friends just scooped the Brighton Fringe Audience Choice Award with their show Tap That this May and is planning to become a tap teacher.You can see Jamie in action when Tap That is repeated at The Rose Studio in Kingston on 13th July. For tickets call 02081 740090.11 year old Nathan was awarded money to buy a new racing wheelchair in march this year. Nathan is looking forward to receiving the chair, which is being made for him, and in the meantime has continued to compete at a couple of events a month including the National Junior Championships at the end of June.So far this season Nathan’s beaten his personal best for the 100m & 200m and has achieved a season’s best in the 200m!Joe was awarded money for his dance education in September 2014.Joe says “The highlight of the last six months has been going to Germany as part of The England Tap Team with Tap Attack, competing in the World Championships there and gaining the Gold Medal for The Senior Formation Dance so becoming a World Champion in this field. Also being able to perform it again at Move It, Olympia, and performing there with Khronos, an all Male Contemporary Group from The Brit School where I attend college.”