Claire Harvey
Biography of Claire Harvey 
Born in Chatham, Claire a very sporty child –
played hockey, athletics, and then found Rugby Union at 14 years
old – playing initially for Medway RFC then onto Saracens and
Waterloo RFC.
After leaving school she went to university in
Liverpool, where she studied psychology & Sociology. Claire now
works at the Ministry of Justice.
Claire has also been the operational manager
for the GB Deaf Women’s Football Team, who came 4th at
the recent Deaflympics in Taipei, 2009.
In 2008, Claire had an accident that changed
her life – leaving her paralysed in one leg, without peripheral
vision and with loss of other nerve functions.
Thanks to the physio team and surgical
appliance team at the William Harvey Hospital, she learnt how to
walk (although has to use a calliper, and crutches or wheelchair
when tired) and began to look for a sport to fill the huge void in
her life that rugby had left.
That was when she found sitting volleyball –
and instantly fell in love with it. The speed, the physical
demands, the dynamisism, team play but most of all the
inclusiveness - able bodied and disabled bodied together.
“Being selected for the GB team, my focus is
firmly on the steep learning curve for the future. I am lucky
enough to be involved in the Paralympics GB Talent Transition
Programme to fast track me into a position to be able to compete on
a world stage by July”.
The team at present, is being prepared for the
World Championships in July in Okalahoma and is being coached
voluntarily by John Bestebroer (Bronze Medallist in Beijing for the
Dutch Women) in exchange for Dr Pepper and Steve Jones (Workforce
Development Manager of Volleyball England). After that the
squad will be training for the European Championships in Holland in
July 2011 and then the Paralympics in 2012.
“Its such an amazing opportunity, that I am
determined to give it 100% to have a chance of bringing a medal
back to Ashford. Volleyball is more to me than just my
achievements – I know first hand how limiting a disability can be,
and so I am dedicated to helping Kent develop a legacy behind 2012.
To this end, Tom Middleton, my coach, has started a sitting
volleyball club in Ashford (Kent Wyverns) and we have also started
a junior club there. I hope to be able to act as a role model for
young people, able bodied or disabled, and support them to reach
their potential and push boundaries whenever they can”.
Ashford Borough Council, Civic Centre, Tannery Lane, Ashford TN23 1PL
Telephone: 01233 330232 Email: activeashford@ashford.gov.uk
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