Above: Dame Allan's Schools Student and Badminton Champion, Lucy Dodd
Lucy Dodd, aged 17, will be travelling to the Spanish island of Ibiza on Sunday (24 November) to play badminton for her country.
The talented teenager, who attends Dame Allan’s Sixth Form in Newcastle, will be taking part in the under-19 Junior European Championships, as one of only six girls to have made the Badminton England elite squad. She will be taking part in both Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles matches in the hope of lifting the trophy.
“I’m really excited for the Championships, if a bit nervous!” said Lucy. “One of the nice things about playing doubles is that there is always someone to support you on the court, so it will be great to have that reassurance in Ibiza.”
Lucy, who has been playing badminton since the age of 8, trains up to 20 hours a week alongside her A Level studies. She is currently the under-19 National Champion in Women’s Doubles, and ranked number one in England in this age category. She is also two in Mixed Doubles at the under-19 level.
Lucy is travelling to Ibiza on the back of her receipt of a prestigious Sport Newcastle Platinum award - an annual award given to world-class athletes in the North East - which was awarded to her on 14 November at their annual awards ceremony. This honour is only given to one North East athlete each year. Previous Sport Newcastle Platinum Award winners have included expert Pistol Shooter Toby Aberdeen and Judo star Anya Hassan.
The prize comes with a grant of £1,500 per year (for three years) to support a young athlete’s training and development.
Proud Mum Catherine commented: “I am very proud of what Lucy manages to achieve in the time she has available, but it’s always been about her enjoying playing rather than the results she gets! I am also very grateful for the understanding and flexibility that Dame Allan’s has offered to support Lucy in her sport.”
Alongside her considerable sporting commitments, Lucy also acts as an Athlete Mentor at Dame Allan’s, where she supports promising younger pupils who are also looking to reach a County, European, or World level in their sport of choice.
“I find it really rewarding to help younger pupils at Dame Allan’s who are looking to pursue high level sport. It’s a great system also for working with my peers and finding out how they are developing in their different sports.”
As well as continuing to pursue her career in badminton, Lucy is looking to study economics and politics once she leaves school.
Dame Allan’s Principal Mr Will Scott said: “Lucy has continually shone as both an athlete and a student, and has shown unwavering dedication to her sport. We are very proud of all of her achievements and wish her the best of luck in the under-19 championships.”