Goalball is a family affair in the Hudson household but GB’s Chelsea Hudson has her eyes set on going one step beyond the achievements of her nearest and dearest after her selection for a prestigious sporting programme.

The 2028 Paralympics is front and centre on the Bridlington teenager’s mood board after the British goalball team failed to qualify for the Paris Paralympics this summer.

However all is not on hold until then as the Yorkshire native is hoping to qualify for her first European Championships in Turkey next April, and inspire more young people to take up the sport in the process.

“I think for me it was the lack of role models in the sport that made me want to improve for myself but also become someone others could look up to,” Hudson said.

“When I first started in the sport I was only nine and there were only two people under 18 who also played. There were even less female players. That’s something that’s improved over time but I definitely want to keep promoting growth in the game.

“Now I’m Chair of the Goalball UK Youth Forum which works to get more voices of young athletes heard,” Hudson added.

As part of her commitment to continuing to amplify opportunities within the sport, Hudson climbed Mount Snowden to raise money for this year’s #FindTheNext Goalball Academy camp where she will be a mentor.  

“There’s a lot of blind people out there who haven’t heard of goalball yet. If you’ve heard about it then you’re in it, but I want to help more people to find the sport at a young age.

“There’s one girl from Wales who I taught goalball to for the first time when she was 11, now she’s almost 18 and is looking to join the GB squad. I think it’s really exciting to witness that transition for others.”

Hudson is one of 50 athletes supported by a partnership between SportsAid and Pitching In, a multimillion-pound grassroots sport programme established by Entain, owner of Ladbrokes and Coral.

These athletes are Great Britain's brightest sporting prospects. They are nominated to SportsAid by the national governing bodies of more than 60 sports based on set criteria from each. The typical value of a SportsAid award is £1,000 with money generated through a combination of commercial partnerships, trust and charitable funds, and fundraising activities.

“The kit, the hotels you need before competitions, all the little things add up. SportsAid has really helped me keep on top of my training. I’ve just finished my A Levels so it’s been a crazy time. There’s no space in my schedule to get a job so getting funding has really helped.”

Entain, owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, is proud to be championing the next generation of British sporting heroes by providing talented young athletes with financial support and personal development opportunities in partnership with SportsAid. Visit entaingroup.com to find out more.