Sports coaching charity making ‘huge difference’ for pupils at Paulsgrove secondary school as full time table tennis mentor helps youngsters keep ‘active and motivated’

Castle View Academy says that the coaching – available through working with charity Greenhouse Sports – has improved behaviour, self-confidence and concentration and made children concentrate more on learning.

Pupils at the Paulsgrove school are benefiting from the expertise of a full-time table tennis coach and mentor thanks to the help of the charity, which is supported by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.

It’s Greenhouse Sports’ first programme outside London since its inception in 2002.

Dedicated table tennis coach and Portsmouth native Ashley Willetts first started working with Castle View Academy in late 2021.

Like all Greenhouse Sports programmes, Ashley runs coaching sessions for pupils before, during and after school (including breakfast clubs, lunch clubs and after school clubs) and is embedded in the school like a full-time member of staff.

Christian Down, principal at Castle View Academy, said: ‘Greenhouse does important work to inspire young people and help them best engage with their learning.

‘Over the past few months, Ashley has immersed himself in our school community and his coaching and mentoring has already made a positive impact on our students.

‘Following the disruption of the past two years as a result of the pandemic, it is important that we are offering our young people opportunities like this where they can be active, learn new skills and strengthen their confidence.

‘We are very much looking forward to continuing to build our partnership with Greenhouse for the future.’

Born and raised in Portsmouth, Ashley has been a Greenhouse Sports Coach since 2011 and was the county champion of table tennis in Hampshire as well as competing at the Senior British League Premier Division.

Ashley said: ‘It’s a great feeling to be working in my home city at Castle View with Mr Down, the amazing students, and team.

‘Since joining the school in October 2021, we have already noticed a huge difference in the students - who are now playing table tennis on a regular basis, keeping them active and motivated at school.’

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Jason Sugrue, head of coaching at Greenhouse Sports, said that the charity is ‘thrilled’ to be partnering with the school.

He added: ‘We want more kids to benefit from our programme, we want to support more young people to engage in sport, and we want to help them gain the life skills they need.

‘Celebrating our 20th year, the goal is to help more young people across the UK, many of whom face poverty and challenging circumstances, and we are delighted that principal Christian Down and the team at Castle View Academy in Portsmouth recognised this and have pioneered our first school partnership outside the capital.’

Greenhouse Sports Ambassador John McAvoy, now a Nike-sponsored endurance athlete, previously spent 10 years in prison and found a new way of life through sport.

He said: ‘Having worked with Greenhouse Sports for a few years now, I have seen first-hand the brilliant work it does - I know the students at Castle View will see the immediate and long term benefits of having someone like Ashley looking out for them.’