Other Sport / hockey
Bristol schoolgirl nominated for top sports award
Bristol schoolgirl Lilly Holmes is one of four athletes nominated by the Sunday Times for their Sports Women of the Year Young Inspiration Award.
During lockdown, 12-year-old Lilly recorded a daily hockey video from her home in Redland and uploaded it to her Twitter account, @miss_hockey1.
Her daily skills started with simple drills around homemade obstacle courses and learning to aerial over a ladder. She then taught herself more technical skills such as drag flicking.
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The Year 8 pupil continued practising and posting daily, right up until day 137 of lockdown, when she was finally able to get out and start training with local coaches and friends again.
Lilly has been playing for her club, Clifton Robinsons, since she was seven, and for her school, Redmaids’ High, since she was nine.
Lilly’s mum, Carolyn Holmes, said: “Lilly was unstoppable. She was out in all weathers, practising for hours on end.”
Claire Maggs, director of sport at Redmaids’ High School, added: “We are delighted to see that Lilly has been shortlisted for this prestigious award. She is an outstanding athlete…
“We would love to see Lilly win this award, in recognition of her sheer enthusiasm, drive and determination.”
The award now goes to a public vote via www.sportswomenoftheyear.co.uk, with an online awards ceremony taking place on November 25.
Lilly is not the only sportswoman at Redmaids’ enjoying success, with sixth form student Betty Platt recently selected to play for Bristol Rovers Women’s FC.
https://www.facebook.com/1288721641305997/videos/930011437506652/
Betty’s interest in football began when she started playing for Westbury Park Foxes aged five and most recently had her first taste of adult football, playing a season for Bristol Ladies Union FC.
She went to one of the Gas Girls’ open sessions and after a couple more weeks of attending training sessions, she was asked if she would like to join the team for the coming season, “to which of course I answered yes!”
“The coaches and girls have been so welcoming and I really feel like part of the team.”
Main photo: Redmaids’ High School
Read more: Success for Redmaids’ High School junior robotics club
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