Pride of Guernsey: Evie Robinson

It was netball coach Heidi Rosamund who sent the nomination for the St Pierre Park-sponsored Young Achiever award.

When she came to Guernsey, Evie breezed through selection for her school’s netball team and quickly found herself on the courts at Beau Sejour as well.

‘I remember the first time I met Evie, or Robbo as she is affectionately known, and thinking to myself: Where on earth has this one come from?’ Heidi said. ‘Evie’s ability has always been beyond her years, something she actually has no realisation of – to Robbo she’s just going about her business doing what she loves.’

She said Evie has grown into a true ambassador for young people in sport and always makes her proud.

The 14-year-old’s achievements are plenty, including club netball Div 2 winners and Upton CI champions in 2019, she was Under-12 Inter Insulars player of the match, the only Under-13 to play in the Under-14s match against Jersey where they won 44-28 and was due to captain her Under-14 Inter Insular team this year – although it was cancelled due to Covid.

‘Evie was also part of Guernsey history when for the first time the Under-14 Guernsey side successfully trialled and placed to compete in the Under-14 South Region Netball League 2018-19, being the only Under-13 to play in each match,’ coach Heidi said.

She also was one of the 72 girls at try-outs for the Surrey Storm England Netball Pathway Performance Programme who gained one of the difficult-to-acquire 21 available spaces.

‘The Surrey Storm programme is very taxing, the travel inevitably being the hardest part. Add in school, homework, club netball, island training and south region trips I have no idea how a 13-year-old managed to do it, and to perform at such a high level is tremendous achievement,’ Heidi said.

She described Evie as a team player, mature, driven, focused, disciplined and dedicated, as well as low-maintenance, always smiling, always laughing and always the first to check on her team mates.