Life for the Apple Elite

Ben Tomlinson is one of the Apple Elite stars, selected by Apple Fitness and the Worksop Guardian to benefit from a £30k sponsorship scheme.
Launch of Apple Elite, training for promising young athletes from the local area.  Pictured with gym manager Steve Chambers is volley ball player Ben Tomlinson, 15 (w121129-3e)Launch of Apple Elite, training for promising young athletes from the local area.  Pictured with gym manager Steve Chambers is volley ball player Ben Tomlinson, 15 (w121129-3e)
Launch of Apple Elite, training for promising young athletes from the local area. Pictured with gym manager Steve Chambers is volley ball player Ben Tomlinson, 15 (w121129-3e)

The volleyball star is the first of the Apple Elite athletes to give an insight into life at the top end of sport.

My name is Ben Tomlinson, I am 16 and one of the lucky athletes chosen for the Apple Elite programme.

I play volleyball for England and I am captain of the England Cadets, the Under 15 to 17s group.

In the Men’s National League I play for Nottingham Rockets, and at local and regional level for Worksop VC.

Since being selected by Apple, I’ve had some amazing experiences.

On Christmas morning I was in the gym preparing for a tournament in Holland, the Appledorn Volleyball event, where I finished sixth with the Newcastle Staffs, an oustanding achievement in an international event.

In early January I went to the Youth Sport Trust’s National Talent Orientation Camp at Loughborough.

Ninety elite sports stars of the future were put through their paces and I had the honour of hearing from double Paralympic gold medallist Hannah Cockroft, sprinter Darren Campbell and England RFU coaches.

I have had some fantastic support from Apple Fitness, working with Steve Chambers on a training programme and physiotherapy support.

I look forward to letting you know how I get on over the rest of the season.

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