Academy to assist young sport talent to rise to the top

The Tees Active Sports Academy will officially launch on Tuesday in an event at Billingham Forum.

The initial intake will see 27 of the area's brightest sporting talents accepted into the academy, where they will have access to training facilities, funding for equipment, medical advice, transport and links to other organisations.

The academy will take in sports centres around the Stockton borough, including Splash, Thornaby Pavilion, Thornaby Pool, Billingham Forum, Stockton Sports Centre and Castlegate Quay Watersports Centre.

All youngsters accepted by the academy must either live in Stockton borough or train at one of the Active Life Centres listed.

"The launch of this sports academy will help aspiring and talented performers across all sports and it will help them to develop in their home area," said Steve Chaytor, managing director of Tees Active Ltd.

Councillor Jean O'Donnell, Stockton Borough Council's cabinet member for arts, leisure and culture, said: "I am sure we will be hearing a lot more about these youngsters as they continue to train hard in their chosen field."

Among the sporting youngsters accepted into the academy are 200m butterfly European junior championship bronze medallist Jessica Dickons and Cloe Dawson, a member of the Great Britain junior figure skating squad.

They will be joined by 13-year-old Steve Hewitson, a member of England's U-14 ice hockey team, and 12-year-old wrestling ace Marcus Sudron, who has again been selected by the Great Britain U-14s squad to compete in a top-level international tournament, in Latvia.

Eleven times Paralympic gold medallist Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson has shown her support by becoming academy champion.

She said: "I fully support this exciting initiative, which I believe will make a big difference in producing our future champions."

Businesses interested in discussing sponsorship packages for the sports academy can contact Allan McDermott on (01642) 528772.