Cannock Chase athletes join Sporting Champions scheme

Seven young athletes from Cannock Chase have been selected for Everyone Active's Sporting Champions scheme, a talent development programme now in its 10th anniversary year.

The scheme provides free access to state-of-the-art facilities at Everyone Active's 250-plus leisure sites across the country, including Chase Leisure Centre and Rugeley Leisure Centre. A record 1,700 athletes have been accepted onto the scheme this year nationally.

Local athletes selected

The three named Cannock Chase athletes are:

Ben Allen, 17, a triathlete who finished second in the under-17 category at the National Cross Country Championships in Sedgefield in February. He trains at Chase Leisure Centre.

Aaron Johns, 17, an obstacle racer who competed in the European OCR Championships in May and trains at Chase Leisure Centre.

Kamil Kolodziej, 18, a middle distance runner and gold medallist at county schools level who trains at Rugeley Leisure Centre.

Mentoring from top athletes

Sporting Champions members receive mentoring and guidance from a panel of Elite athletes including Olympic and Paralympic medallists, world champions and Commonwealth champions. The line-up includes Lauren Steadman, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Emma Finucane, Maisie Summers-Newton and Richard Kilty.

Group mentoring sessions cover mental wellbeing, nutrition, managing finances, social media and media training. Athletes also take part in bitesize webinars in collaboration with national governing bodies.

From 2026-27, athletes over 16 will receive access to the You+ membership, designed to promote holistic health and wellbeing.

Scheme ambassador

Olympic silver medallist and former world record holder Colin Jackson CBE continues as ambassador for the scheme. Jackson said: "I am incredibly passionate about nurturing young talent and the Sporting Champions scheme goes above and beyond in this mission. With the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow taking place in July and August, I am more excited than ever to support athletes of all ages and from all disciplines to achieve their dreams."