An underwater hockey player is benefiting from a new scheme where elite athletes receive free access to training facilities.
Leisure charity, Fusion Lifestyle, is providing elite athletes the opportunity for free access to several leisure centres across Devon, including Ivybridge, as part of the FANS - Free Access for National Sportspeople - initiative.
Fusion Lifestyle recently took over the running of local leisure facilities across the South Hams and West Devon, including Ivybridge Leisure Centre.
The scheme is open to all ages, and is eligible for those who compete or perform at a national level, and in any sport recognised by Sport England, from underwater hockey, to skateboarding, surfing and Paralympic swimming.
19-year-old Alyssa Oates has been benefitting from the sporting initiative at Ivybridge Leisure Centre. she said: “Without the support of this scheme, I would struggle to achieve the level of fitness necessary to compete at the forthcoming World and European Underwater Hockey Championships.”
The FANS scheme aims to ease the financial burden of training costs, by providing support for the region’s most talented, elite sportspeople. FANS scheme members can use fitness and swimming facilities for free at any Fusion Lifestyle operated centre.
Alyssa added: “Unfortunately, Underwater Hockey is a minority sport and not an Olympic sport, so funding and support is difficult to secure, but by being part of the FANS scheme, it has provided me with unlimited access to high quality, local sports facilities.”
Clare Bill, from Fusion Lifestyle said: “The FANS scheme celebrates all sports, from Underwater Hockey to Judo. We hope that it will inspire the next generation of sporting stars, while helping some of the region’s top athletes achieve their full potential.”
Ivybridge Leisure Centre is among six leisure facilities across West Devon and the South Hams where participating athletes can benefit from the scheme. Other centres include, Dartmouth Leisure Centre, Totnes Leisure Centre, Quayside Leisure Centre in Kingsbridge and Parklands Leisure Centre in Okehampton.