Three members of Richmond College’s volleyball academy will be taking part in next month’s UK School Games, organised by the Youth Sport Trust.

Stevi Bourke, a second year student studying AS/A2 levels, has been selected as a volunteer and will have a varied role throughout the event.

Simon Ojomoh, also a second year student, has been selected to play for the England South volleyball squad, while Carol Gordon, one of the college’s sports teachers, is head coach of the same squad.

The Games, a multi-sport event for the UK’s elite young athletes of school age, take place in Cardiff from September 3-6.

This year’s UK School Games, organised by the Youth Sport Trust, take place from the 3rd – 6th September 2009 in Cardiff and Richmond upon Thames College have three members of the college’s Volleyball Academy taking part.

The UK School Games is a multi-sport event for the UK’s elite young athletes of school age.

Stevi Bourke, a second year student studying AS/A2 levels in Sociology, English Literature, Drama and Theatre Studies and PE, has been selected as a volunteer and will have a varied role throughout the event.

Simon Ojomoh, also a second year student taking AS/A2 levels in English Language and Literature, PE, Electronics and Computing, has been selected to play for England South Volleyball Squad. Also, Carol Gordon, one of the college’s sports teachers is the Head Coach of England South Volleyball Squad.

All participants will go through an accreditation process and take part in an opening and closing ceremony just like in the Olympic Games.

Carol Gordon previously attended the games in 2007 and was also involved in the process of marketing volleyball as the first team sport to be added to the event.

She commented, “When I was first asked to showcase the sport of volleyball in front of Gordon Brown and Tessa Jowell I was keen to demonstrate the power of team sports and how well young people develop and mature through cooperation.

"I am thoroughly delighted to be Head Coach again and really proud that two of our students have demonstrated their expertise in the different fields and will get the chance to put them into practice at such a high profile event.”

Follow their progress: http://www.ukschoolgames.com