Life for the Apple Elite

Launch of Apple Elite, training for promising young athletes from the local area. Pictured with gym manager Steve Chambers is volley ball player Ben Tomlinson, 15 (w121129-3e)

Ben Tomlinson is one of the Apple Elite stars, selected by Apple Fitness and the Worksop Guardian to benefit from a £30k sponsorship scheme.

The volleyball star is the first of the Apple Elite athletes to give an insight into life at the top end of sport.

My name is Ben Tomlinson, I am 16 and one of the lucky athletes chosen for the Apple Elite programme.

I play volleyball for England and I am captain of the England Cadets, the Under 15 to 17s group.

In the Men’s National League I play for Nottingham Rockets, and at local and regional level for Worksop VC.

Since being selected by Apple, I’ve had some amazing experiences.

On Christmas morning I was in the gym preparing for a tournament in Holland, the Appledorn Volleyball event, where I finished sixth with the Newcastle Staffs, an oustanding achievement in an international event.

In early January I went to the Youth Sport Trust’s National Talent Orientation Camp at Loughborough.

Ninety elite sports stars of the future were put through their paces and I had the honour of hearing from double Paralympic gold medallist Hannah Cockroft, sprinter Darren Campbell and England RFU coaches.

I have had some fantastic support from Apple Fitness, working with Steve Chambers on a training programme and physiotherapy support.

I look forward to letting you know how I get on over the rest of the season.