On Monday 19th October we were delighted to welcome Team GB athlete Rachel Laybourne who came to talk to our pupils about her career as a professional athlete and representing Great Britain at the London 2012 Olympics.
Following her inspirational assembly Rachel then went outside to provide a coaching session on our beach volleyball pitch. Pupils from Year 5&6 had the chance to work with Rachel on developing their serve and return skills before taking part in a game with the Team GB star.
Our Volleyball ambassadors - who recently attended the London Legacy Volleyball Cup - interviewed Rachel about her career and how she came to be involved in volleyball:
Endurance: What has been the toughest moment in your career?
Rachel: Without a doubt the hardest time was when we were told that our funding for the London Olympics was being withdrawn. We were all so excited about the chance to represent our country at a home Olympics that we didn't want to give up. We all took part in sponsored activities to ensure we raised enough money to carry on training and playing. Walking out at the Olympics was the proudest moment of my career.
Ruby: What is a typical day like for you?
Rachel: I'm not competing anymore now. When I was playing professionally it was a very long day. First you had to be in the gym for 7am so that you could complete a 2hr weights session. Then we would be on the court to practice our skills for an hour. Then we could go and do our studies (if we were at University) or go to work. In the evening we'd have to be back in the gym and on the courts for another 3 hours. It was like that six days a week. But if you want to compete with the very best that is what you have to do.
Tahani: What are the benefits of playing your sport?
Rachel: One of the best perks is the travel. I have been all over the world to play volleyball. In fact I had the chance to go to school in Sweden so that I could train with some amazing athletes. It did mean that I had to move away from my friends and family and I didn't speak the language. At first it was hard... and very cold but I became a much better player and met some great people.
Evan: What would your top tips be for me if I wanted to be a professional sportsman?
Rachel: You need to be prepared to work very hard every day. My training involved 6 hours a day 6 days a week. You also need to be good at building relationships with your team mates - you won't get very far without them. Handling pressure is also tough. In one of our Olympic matches the start of the game was delayed by 2 hours as the match before over ran. How well do you handle the wait? How well do you cope with being watched by 5,000 fans?
We were very grateful for the time Rachel gave us and the way it has inspired even more interest in volleyball at the school. Our school is the only one in Havering to have a full size beach volleyball pitch for the pupils to use... and now it is likely to be very crowded indeed!
Following her inspirational assembly Rachel then went outside to provide a coaching session on our beach volleyball pitch. Pupils from Year 5&6 had the chance to work with Rachel on developing their serve and return skills before taking part in a game with the Team GB star.
Our Volleyball ambassadors - who recently attended the London Legacy Volleyball Cup - interviewed Rachel about her career and how she came to be involved in volleyball:
Endurance: What has been the toughest moment in your career?
Rachel: Without a doubt the hardest time was when we were told that our funding for the London Olympics was being withdrawn. We were all so excited about the chance to represent our country at a home Olympics that we didn't want to give up. We all took part in sponsored activities to ensure we raised enough money to carry on training and playing. Walking out at the Olympics was the proudest moment of my career.
Ruby: What is a typical day like for you?
Rachel: I'm not competing anymore now. When I was playing professionally it was a very long day. First you had to be in the gym for 7am so that you could complete a 2hr weights session. Then we would be on the court to practice our skills for an hour. Then we could go and do our studies (if we were at University) or go to work. In the evening we'd have to be back in the gym and on the courts for another 3 hours. It was like that six days a week. But if you want to compete with the very best that is what you have to do.
Tahani: What are the benefits of playing your sport?
Rachel: One of the best perks is the travel. I have been all over the world to play volleyball. In fact I had the chance to go to school in Sweden so that I could train with some amazing athletes. It did mean that I had to move away from my friends and family and I didn't speak the language. At first it was hard... and very cold but I became a much better player and met some great people.
Evan: What would your top tips be for me if I wanted to be a professional sportsman?
Rachel: You need to be prepared to work very hard every day. My training involved 6 hours a day 6 days a week. You also need to be good at building relationships with your team mates - you won't get very far without them. Handling pressure is also tough. In one of our Olympic matches the start of the game was delayed by 2 hours as the match before over ran. How well do you handle the wait? How well do you cope with being watched by 5,000 fans?
We were very grateful for the time Rachel gave us and the way it has inspired even more interest in volleyball at the school. Our school is the only one in Havering to have a full size beach volleyball pitch for the pupils to use... and now it is likely to be very crowded indeed!
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