Sport Pembrokeshire Feature:

  
This week we are pleased to highlight the good work undertaken by Sport Pembrokeshire as we feature Carys Ribbon, who is one of their Gold Young Ambassadors – who is in the sixth form at Haverfordwest High.
 
1. I played football for Johnston Girls FC for about eight years until the middle of 2021 and then I played for a couple of clubs for a few months before finally going on to play for Swansea Ladies’ U19s.
 
2. I started off at school by just helping out with clubs during my break and lunch times for a few months until I went on to become a bronze ambassador. After a while I began helping out with after- school clubs, sports tournaments and also helping run weekly sessions for children with special needs, which led to me eventually becoming a silver ambassador. I carried on helping with these sports clubs  and then I became a gold ambassador where I also started helping with sessions for primary school children as well as more school clubs.
 
3. This role entails promoting sports participation within the community and in schools across Pembrokeshire. It is about trying to get children to be more active and to keep healthy outside and in school. Since starting my journey I have made lots of progress, I have grown in confidence and am able to plan and run sports sessions on my own. I have learnt many things about what it entails to take charge and to try and make things as engaging as possible for the children participating.
 
4. It is important to keep investing in school and community sports for young children as the sessions we put on may be the only opportunities they get to be active and have fun that day or even that week. Technology has overcome the need to keep fit and healthy over the years and I think we need to keep promoting and putting on these sessions so children can have a change from the using technology and watching TV.
 
5. Moving forward I hope that sports amongst young children becomes more popular and participation grows. I hope children get to experience sports that they may not necessarily play during school or other clubs. I would like to see more opportunities like this for children across Pembrokeshire.
 
I have been playing football for about 11 years and I want others to have the same enjoyment – in whatever sport they choose!