OUTDOOR SPORTS - News from Pembs-Sport

page revision date : 31st May 2009

Ben begins to catch the eye as a sprinter

Ben Charles Ben Charles is one of those talented young sportsmen around today who seem to be able to turn their hands (or feet!) to a whole range of sports. Ben is a good footballer in his first season at Camrose AFC, a useful trampoliner and is making a name for himself as a very promising sprinter with the Pembroke Harriers.
It is the sprinting that has really taken up a great deal of Ben’s spare time recently – something that might be considered slightly unusual since he did very little on the athletics front in his time at STP School and only realised he had something to offer when people talked about his speed off the mark in football.

Harriers’ involvement . . .

Ben was working at the sports centre at the school so he knew the Pembrokeshire Harriers trained there and one evening took the decision to try his luck there. That was in September 2007 and now, 18 months on he is regularly competing for the Harriers. He has already competed against clubs like Swansea, Neath, Carmarthen, Brecon and Aberdare, mainly in under 20 events but ready to take part anywhere for the Harriers.

. . . and good advice pays off

Ben Charles in action It is this enthusiasm and commitment which has made Ben popular with the Harriers faithful and sprint coach David Thomas said,
“Ben is a pleasure to work with because he rarely misses a training session, is ever ready to listen to advice and willing to try things out. This has brought dividends in terms of his times and I think he really has a future in athletics if he maintains his commitment.”
Ask Ben about his progress and he is down to earth about what he has done already and what he still needs to do:
“I know that I am very fast over the first 40 metres but I need to be able to maintain my form over the full distance and that means building up my stamina so that I keep my form throughout a race. I have also been working on my starts and although I found it strange using the starting blocks at first I am now fairly confident in using them – and they do give me the chance to get away quickly and clearly.”
Ben has already won a couple of races against competitors older than he is and has several second and third places as proof of the way that he has developed.

Football for Wizards and Cam

On the football front, Ben played all his junior football with Merlins Bridge, where he was always encouraged by Micky Phillips and the late Steve James, playing in midfield and sometimes up front, where his best performance in terms of goals was four at junior level and a hat-trick for Camrose firsts against Manorbier this season. He moved to the village club since it is just down the road from where he lives and has already bagged eight goals in his first season at this level.

Getting a bounce out of life

His trampolining takes place on the lawn at home and although Ben plays it down as something he does for recreational purposes he admits that it certainly helps to build his leg muscles and co-ordination for athletics. He does single somersaults with ease and can do double somersaults as well – but says that it is a little ‘scary’ because you have to know where you are in space or a nasty bang on the neck or head could ensue!

High hopes

But it is athletics that takes up a great deal of Ben’s spare time since he trains every Tuesday and Thursday at the athletic track in STP School, where David Thomas and the other coaches rate him highly.
“I know I have a long way to go yet,” says Ben, “but I am ready to work hard and learn all I can. I enjoy just taking part but winning is even nicer and a look forward to more success.”
That’s the sort of down to earth comment that one would expect from Ben Charles and we at pembrokeshiresport.co.uk wish him every success because he deserves to do well!

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