Sky sports
Commentators Comments

(Letter to Sky)

Dear Sir

I write in horror to a comment that was made by your commentator during the English Schools Championships. The event was the Junior Girls 4 x 100m relay, Humberside came in second place. When the race was reviewed by your commentator he announced that the relay team had a weak link and named the athlete as Alex Stimpson.

Alex is in fact a strong, dedicated and respected athlete and shows much promise and potential for the future of British athletics. Her commitment to training and her team is to be admired and should be used as an example for others to follow.

I am in fact a Level 5 coaching trainer and assessor working for the Ministry of Defence. I also work with young athletes and see the emotions they go through to achieve their goals. Your commentator must realise that making comments like this on national television has probably destroyed all the years of coaching, hard work and ladder climbing that Alex has had to go through to get to English School’s standard.

We are extremely proud of Alex (Silver Medallist) and will now work hard with her to bring her confidence back from ground zero and can only hope that Alex will use this experience as a control trigger to put her at the top where she belongs.

I am sure that a letter of apology to Alex would be the start of this process and that measures must be taken to realise these are still children working hard to fill the shoes of their heroes.

Regards

Chris Preston-Routledge

07912 324421

chris@prestonroutledge.karoo.co.uk

Alex Stimpson - alexstimo@hotmail.co.uk

Company: Sky sports
Country: United Kingdom
Region: United Kingdom

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