Seventeen year old St Swithun’s school pupil Emily Sambrook Smith from Winchester has gained a place on the Hampshire Talented Athlete Scheme (HTAS) for 2014. Emily represents St Swithun’s at lacrosse and also gained a place last summer in the England lacrosse squad. She represented England on a lacrosse tour to Canada in August.
The HTAS scheme, a joint programme between Hampshire County Council and Sport Hampshire & IOW, aims to help Hampshire’s athletes reach world class level. Since it started in 2008, almost 550 of Hampshire’s most promising sportsmen and women have received funding, with many more benefitting from free access to training facilities.
Emily can expect to receive a range of benefits, including a monetary grant, free access to leisure centres, fast track physiotherapy, a free bus pass from local bus companies as well as sports science support from Southampton Solent University.