The Hereford Times

Capping a fine 12 months

4:51pm Friday 22nd February 2008

THE Herefordshire Sports Council Junior Male Sports Personality of the Year award for 2007 caps a fine 12 months for Alex Parker.

Eight-year-old Alex, who lives in Bridstow, near Ross-on-Wye, is making big strides in tennis.

Alex is the number one at under 10 level in the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).

He has won five of the six LTA national competitions at under-10 and under-9 levels in which he has played.

Alex is among only eight players from the UK who gained an invitation to train with the LTA in Roehampton.

He is based at Hereford Whitecross Tennis Club where coach Andrew Griffiths spotted his potential.

Alex is also trained by a LTA coach at the Edgbaston Priory Tennis Club in Birmingham.

The Bridstow Primary School pupil has the backing of two powerful organisations.

Alex receives funding from the LTA.

Sports manufacturers Dunlop sponsor his tennis racquets.

Fern Davies, from Little Hereford, is the winner of the Junior Female Sports Personality of the Year award.

The Wigmore High School pupil has created a big splash on the swimming scene over the past year.

She struck gold in the 400m individual medley and won a bronze in the relay at the UK Schools' Championships.

Fern, 15, also secured bronze in the individual medley at National Championships in addition to a silver in the relay.

National training camps have taken Fern to Majorca, Nottingham and Swansea.

She has attended the British Long Course Championships and was included in the British Swimming ID squad.

Fern competed with the English Schools' Swimming Association team in Dublin and travelled to the USA with the Welsh Talent Squad.

She is also a member of the Herefordshire Netball Academy and has competed in county athletics in the 800m and the discus.