Sporting schooldays
Welsh boxer Lauren Price is a Commonwealth, European and World middleweight champion who is looking forward to the Tokyo Olympics this year.
Here, the world-ranked number one reveals the sporting schooldays that set her on the road to success.
What schools did you attend?
I attended Glyn-Gaer Primary School in Hengoed and then Heolddu Comprehensive School in Bargoed, near Caerphilly.
What are your earliest sporting memories?
I have been involved with sport since the age of eight, particularly football and kickboxing as I was growing up. At primary school I played inside centre for the boys’ rugby team. We had a pretty good team and got to the regional finals held at Virginia Park (home of Caerphilly RFC). I was sport-mad and used to get involved with everything, so at secondary school I was in the girls’ netball team, where I played goal defence, as well as the boys’ football and rugby teams. I also used to do athletics and represented the school at discus and 1500m.
Who were your sporting heroes growing up?
I used to love Thierry Henry. I was mad about Arsenal when I was younger and he was my favourite player. Boxing-wise, I liked Floyd Mayweather – not so much his arrogance and cockiness, I just liked his style of boxing.
Were you always a natural sportsperson?
Yes and no. As a kid, I was always outside kicking a football and joining in with the boys, I was a real tomboy. With kickboxing, I improved through hard work. I had
12 SCHOOL SPORT Issue No.81 January/February/March 2021
great support from my
grandparents, taking me from A to B every night. I’d do two hours of kickboxing, then play football – I was training from 6-10pm. My nan would make tea for me when I got back, so I’d eat, have a shower, go to bed then get up again for school.
When did you realise you had a real talent?
I was playing football at age-group level for Wales when I was 14, but back then it wasn’t really possible to make a living out of the women’s game as it is now. I used to say to my school teachers ‘I will become a professional sportsperson’. I know a lot of youngsters say that but it was always a real ambition of mine. My big moment in boxing came when I went to the 2014 Commonwealth Games at the age of 20 and won my first major medal. I started boxing aged 16 after watching the London Olympics in 2012 and winning that medal opened up doors to having Team GB trials and getting on the world-class training programme, which meant I could make a living out of the sport. At that time, I was representing Wales at football and boxing but I didn’t have a great income from either, so I was working for a taxi company as well. But training took over and now I’m lucky to earn a living doing something I love.
What are your favourite sporting memories at school?
I enjoyed playing for the boys’ rugby team at Heolddu and I loved playing football in our girls’ school team as well, we had quite a few good players. I also used to love the athletics tournaments, being picked up from school on the bus and having the day at a
competition. I remember winning the discus and the 1500m and I’d do the relay as well.
What are your worst sporting memories at school?
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