Fern Cates

Fern is the hardest working teenager I know. Not only does she excel at her own sport she is determined to help make sport more accessible to others. She is a volunteer for shropshire council, helping with holiday activity clubs, after school swimming lessons, marshaling at local sporting events etc. She has done work experience with shropshire sports development and has chosen to study A-level subjects that will help her hopes to work within sports and the government. Fern began competitive swimming at 9yrs old, her hard work was awarded with the coaches cup. She has since gone on to compete in aquathlons and cross-country skiing and is currently working towards representing GB at the Youth Winter Olympics 2013. Her dedication to her training is inspirational to young and old and she can regularly be seen training on rollerskis around her local town, often to the amusement of passers by. She was awarded a grant from the council to help with training following recommendation from her head teacher who wrote 'Fern is an excellent role model. She is self motivated and dedicated to being the best that she can be, juggling sporting development and academic progress admirably'. Fern is an extremely well known and well liked girl within her community and is passionate about the olympic dream and all it stands for, and whilst she strives to encourage others alongside her own ambitions, I would like to give her this opportunity and to say thank you for all you are and want to be.