Hull netballer Lydia Harrison hopes support from an innovative partnership between Boost Drinks and SportsAid can provide her with an extra push in her pursuit of international stardom.
The 18-year-old received her first taste of international action in 2021 when she made her England Under-19s debut against Wales.
And having recently begun her studies at Loughborough University, Harrison says that Boost Drinks’ support has been vital in helping ease the transition to university life.
“When I found out I got some funding I was absolutely over the moon,” said Harrison, who benefits from financial support from Boost Drinks – a company born over 20 years ago with a vision of energising everybody in every way and is committed to supporting its local communities, whether this be fuelling them with its range of Sports, Energy, Iced Coffee, and Protein Drinks, or by getting more involved to help them achieve their goal.
“Netball can be expensive, even with a student loan. When I was living in Hull and playing for Leeds Rhinos, I was travelling four or five times a week which is about an-hour-and-a-half journey.
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“So it was a lot of money on petrol, kit, fees, everything, and it's nice to get something back from that and some support now.”
SportsAid supports over 1,000 athletes each year – in the early stages of their career – by providing them with a financial award to help towards training and competition costs.
These athletes are Great Britain's brightest sporting prospects, nominated to SportsAid by the national governing bodies of more than 60 sports based on set criteria from each.
Harrison added: “When Boost got in contact through SportsAid, it gave me a real sense of relief.
“It makes a massive impact and I don't think people realise how much of an impact it does make on a player's life, especially in a game like netball where it's growing and it's rising and the funding is coming, but it’s slow.
“One of the most important things was to know that brands believe in you and want to see you through your journey.
“It's nice for a brand to really commit to a player. I think that's outstanding especially in a sport where it is still growing.”
Boost Drinks provides young athletes with financial support, recognition, and personal development opportunities through its partnership with SportsAid. Each athlete receives a £1,000 award which contributes towards costs such as travel, accommodation, and equipment – for more information visit www.boostdrinks.com
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