Charlie Webster Blog
Sport: Changing Lives
August 18, 2011
Filed Under Sky Sports
Sport has played such an important part in my life and still does. When I was younger it was my saviour to deal with the problems I was going through. It gave me a sense of belonging, self-worth and made me feel good about myself. It was my release, my escape. I 100% believe in sport and the impact it can have on lives. I have seen it so many times and have experienced it myself.
Since I was a teenager I have been working with kids through sport, it has always been an ingrained passion of mine. As soon as I was old enough, at 17 years old, I passed my play scheme qualifications and whilst I was studying lead an afterschool sports club in a deprived area of Sheffield, where I was brought up. This is why I have been filming the special report, Sport: Changing Lives, for Sky Sports News.
This year, amongst other schemes, I have been visiting the amazing St Matthews project in Brixton that uses football to help the local children and young people to fulfil their potential and have a positive outlet in their lives. They have no facilities, just the local park; the kids turn up sometimes half an hour before the sessions and don’t want to leave. The first time I went in, no cameras, we stayed an hour after the session was due to finish and played football until there was not a sign of daylight left. One child telling me the project was their life.
I also spent a term in an urban secondary school in Slough, going in every Tuesday for half a day. I took the kids outside with the aim of using sport to improve their behaviour, school work and their self-confidence. Lack of confidence was the big common problem amongst the kids. Self-esteem was minimal; they just didn’t believe they were good enough.
I don’t want to give it all away so I hope you’ll tune in on Monday 22nd August at 730pm on Sky Sports News, it will also be on anytime following the broadcast and Sky Sports website.
First ever all Ladies Speedway School
February 28, 2011
Filed Under Sky Sports
The first ever all Ladies Speedway School happened on Sunday 27th in Sittingbourne, Kent. History was made. In my previous blog I spoke about how the idea came about in a car park when chatting to a fantastic gentleman equally as passionate as me, Barry Bishop. It’s amazing to think from that one off the cuff conversation, the event was born. Once I and Barry had decided to go ahead we put our thoughts into action. Barry worked extremely hard to push the interest and get sponsors on board, a massive cyber round of applause to him and to Sittingbourne Speedway for hosting the day.
Now I’m not going to talk about the times when Barry and I were stressing at each other over the phone about the weather and the two times it had to be postponed but the fact that neither of us gave up. We both were so eager and keen to make this work.
The Ladies that attended were inspiring and admirable in every way, the majority had never been on a Speedway bike before, and one woman hadn’t even got her driving license never mind riding a bike. From young teenagers aged 16, to amazing Sue, who is celebrating her 60th birthday in April and a mother and daughter entry, who rode together on the day. It was so uplifting to see every single person on the day grinning from ear to ear and the buzz and energy amongst the group was intensely infectious in every way.
I was so excited to get the chance to ride again myself too; the last time I had taken to the track was a year and a half ago with British Champion Chris Harris. This time I wasn’t wearing Coventry Bees kevlars but my own thanks to Selwyn Froggitt Racewear and Wessex Marines and yes I did have Sheffield United on my suit. I got the opportunity to ride a smaller 125cc bike at Sittingbourne on the training track. It offers perfect facilities for training which should be utilised by the BSPA to start pushing grassroots Speedway through. Chris Schramm and Andy Meredith were so patient and encouraging in their coaching. Chris, I’ll let you off for your commentary of my first go of the day.
500cc was next thanks to Former World Champion Sam Ermolenko and Montana Jowett who is an awesome Speedway rider and a credit to women in motorsport. By this time the track was really quite wet and I found it hard coming into the corners, but managed to get a bit of speed up and loved every second of it. I didn’t want them to tell me to stop. It’s the most exhilarating, exciting, fun experience and also really very tough.
Sinead McLaren then put me in place on the metal plate attached to her bike where I held on for dear life. She whizzed me around the track on her 500cc sidecar. Sinead is the first woman in the UK to race sidecar and currently competes as part of the only female duo. I’m sure you can imagine the trials and tribulations Sinead has had to overcome and sadly still does.
All in all the day was superb. Even standing in the soaking rain receiving their medals, the Ladies were laughing and joking full of confidence and full of life. To the Ladies who took part reading this you shone your own little ray of sunshine that is a credit to everything that is attached to women in sport. Oh and Penny your cake after actually saved my life after my 3am start, so thank you! Penny makes unbelievable tasting cake.
Well done to everybody involved and all the money that was raised for charity, Help for Heroes, NSPCC and Make A Wish. Here’s to more Ladies Speedway training schools, who knows where this could lead to.
If you don’t risk anything you risk even more.
Check out my lastest blog on skysports.com. ‘A raw deal all round’
May 19, 2010
Filed Under Sky Sports
I have never seen or been to a Speedway meeting like that in my life…have you?
I don’t think anybody could ever have possibly thought a team could go down to three riders by the end of a meeting. Every time I interviewed Aces manager Chris Morton there was one rider less.
I really thought that Belle Vue could give table leaders Poole Pirates a run for their money. To be fair they most likely would have if they’d have had an actual team.
Read More:
http://www.skysports.com/opinion/story/0,25212,18375_6160758,00.html