A TALENTED Urmston athlete has been selected to be part of the Volleyball squad at the 2017 School Games National Finals.

Jessica Tasker, aged 15, will compete for the England Junior Women squad at the event.

Urmston Grammar School pupil Jessica, who is a member of the school’s Volleyball Club, already has an impressive record of success. She was selected for the England training squad and has won the North West Inter-Regionals.

The School Games are an integrated multi-sport event for the UK’s most talented school-age athletes and will take place at Loughborough University from 31st August to 3rd September 2017.

Around 1,600 athletes will compete across 12 sports at the School Games, seven of which include disability disciplines. The four-day event is supported by National Lottery funding from Sport England and delivered by the Youth Sport Trust.

Jessica said: “The 2012 Olympics in London made me understand the importance of playing for your team and your country doing a sport that you love like volleyball.

“I can’t wait to compete at the School Games.”

Jessica will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of some of Britain’s biggest sporting stars who have competed at the School Games before going on to senior international success.

Previous competitors include Paralympic champions Hannah Cockroft, Ellie Simmonds and Jonnie Peacock, Olympic champion Adam Peaty, heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson and GB sprinter Adam Gemili.

The School Games are the springboard for future athletes - 56 of the 382 athletes representing Team GB at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio competed at the School Games.

At the event Jessica will experience the excitement of competing at the highest level. She will live in a dedicated Athletes’ Village on the Loughborough University campus, take part in an Opening Ceremony and perform in front of huge crowds of spectators.

Tickets for the event are available at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/2017schoolgames

Ali Oliver, Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Sport Trust, said: “The School Games National Finals provide a great opportunity for talented young athletes like Jessica,” says Ali Oliver, chief executive officer of the Youth Sport Trust. “Competitors get a real taste of what it’s like to be part of a world-class sporting event at the amazing sporting venues of Loughborough University, and the event is a great way to see our future sporting champions in action today.”