Middlesbrough FE College student, Emily Mullis took in a Sportivate project at college during her first year and has not looked back. 16 year old Emily did not take part in sport and was unhappy with her inactivity levels and Sportivate has changed her sporting behaviour.
Realising the many benefits sport can offer, Emily saw climbing as an opportunity to challenge herself and become more confident. Emily started with the Middlesbrough College Active Rock Climbing Sportivate project. The climbing sessions where designed as part of the outdoor adventure programme being developed at the college to challenge students to try something different using Sportivate for the tasters. Emily was a shy person and not a ‘team sport’ person decided to take on something ‘different’ and climbing was a sport that appealed. Emily managed to get some friends to come along with her for the first few weeks to help her to gain confidence, and this was a big factor in helping her to quickly develop new skills and improve her strength, fitness and agility.
Emily is now ‘hooked’ on the sport and is now even getting the rest of her family taking part on club evenings. The fun and informal delivery approach involving music and students having control of the climbing activity has given Emily the freedom to challenge herself and become even more confident.
Emily is one of the students selected to feature in an Association of College Sport ‘This Girl Can’ video which is a direct result of her taking part in the Sportivate project at college and helping to inspire other students to try new sports. Emily now enjoys helping out with the club so much that she has also signed up to be part of the college Sports Leaders Academy.
Emily received a national award in December 2015, presented at the House of Commons and is now looking forward to continuing her new sporty lifestyle at University in the autumn.