Our names are Oliver and Victoria Crawford; we are both still in full time education, Oliver, 18, completing A2’s at Pembrokeshire College in Maths, Chemistry and Physics; and Victoria, 15, studying GCSE’s at Greenhill School, Tenby.
We are members of the Pembroke Octopush Club, (Octopush is underwater hockey played on the bottom of a swimming pool), both of us playing in the senior team and Victoria also in the U16’s team. “The Seniors” are currently Welsh champions and have held this title for the past 7 years.
We have been training with the National Octopush Squad for some time at Leeds and we’ve recently been selected to play for the Great Britain, Under 19’s Teams, Men & Ladies, at the World Championships, Hobart, Tasmania, 7th-28th July 2017.
Octopush was started in the 1950’s as a means of fitness training for amateur divers and being a young sport is not well known, it is a poor spectator sport and therefore does not enjoy any sponsorship from Sports Councils etc.
This sport is currently seeking Olympic Sport recognition, however until this is established the teams receive no grant/monetary assistance to attend/facilitate these GB training camps or Worldwide Championships. The cost is met by the players and their families and coaching is orchestrated by dedicated volunteers.
The cost of attending the championships in Hobart is quite considerable, for example:
Bi-monthly travel to GB training camps in Leeds from Pembroke - £120 x6 (includes pool hire fees)
GB Kit - £300 x2
Personal Equipment:
Fins - £250
Masks - £30 x2
Snorkels - £20 x4
Glove - £60 x3
Sticks - £30
Latex Socks - £20
Flights to Tasmania - £900 x2
Hotel, Pool Hire and Competition Fees - £1600 x2

Total Amount - £7000

As you can see the costs are quite high. Our mum/grandparents have paid for this so far but it is getting increasingly difficult and so we were wondering if friends, family and any companies would be willing to support our cause. Thankyou in anticipation.