Students receive special visit from women’s England rugby union star

Tamara also represented England at the 2014, 2010 and 2006 Women's Rugby World Cup.

Tamara came onto campus in her capacity as one of Sport England’s Sporting Champions – a team of current and retired elite athletes - thanks to funding from Sport England, who run the University Sport Activation Fund.

Tamara said she had been excited about attending the session in order to help the students participating raise their own aspirations. She said: “I really enjoyed visiting York St John as part of Sport England’s University Sport Activation Fund which focuses on universities increasing their sport offer and hopefully this will mean more university students develop a sporting habit for life.

 “As a Sport England Sporting Champion, I hope I can inspire all the young adults in attendance to sustain their sports participation and raise their own aspirations of what they can achieve.”

Charlie Freeman, sports participation co-ordinator at York St John Students’ Union, said Tamara had coached a session for students followed by a talk about her background, route into the game and challenges she had to overcome.

“Everyone was really inspired by Tamara’s visit and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. It was great to hear how she has dealt with the knockbacks she has faced throughout her career and still been so successful.

“Her main message to us all was to try and not get too demoralised if things don’t go your way but work hard and focus on the positives.”

The University Sport Activation Fund is an £11 million investment aimed at supporting universities, to widen their sport offer to appeal to more HE students, Sport England’s Mike Diaper said: “The University Sport Activation Fund is designed to help students who wouldn’t naturally consider themselves ‘sporty’ find and enjoy activity while they are at university.

“Sporting Champions visits will help further motivate and inspire these students by bringing their enthusiasm and passion for sport and highlighting the benefits that it can bring to help ensure the University Sport Activation Fund is as successful as possible.”

Thanks also went to O Neills for the goodie bags and Novotel York for providing the refreshments.