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IN THE SPOTLIGHT WITH - PERSONAL TRAINER, JOSH DAVIES  Getting involved in a new sport or activity can be daunting. Whether you played a sport at school and want to try it again, or you are trying an activity for the first time, our series putting the 'Spotlight on' a range of activities should help you along the way. We've been in touch with various people from a range of sporting backgrounds, starting with St Pierre Park's personal trainer, Josh Davies.  How long have you been going to the gym?                                     11 years, including a mixture of weightlifting, CrossFit and endurance running. What was your initial motivation to pursue exercise as a career?                     To guide others and prove that they can aspire to always ask more of themselves. Once you see the difference you can make in a person’s life through exercise alone, it becomes more than just a career. What is your pre-gym ritual?  Simple, trainers on, headphones in, music blaring…go! Working in a gym must have its highs and lows… what are these for you and how do you remain positive? Coming to work is nothing but a joy, I have a great team of staff, members and clients around me daily. What is it they say? Find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. Very cliched but true. What is your go-to training outfit? Running shorts, a comfortable T-shirt and my ever-faithful Nike Turbo 2s. What is the one piece of advice you give to everybody you train? Get outside your comfort zone, you might just surprise yourself. The scariest thing is to say you didn’t try. Do you notice if your workout clothes are high-end/low-end? Does it affect your performance? I can tell if I am wearing ‘cheaper’ running shoes. It’s worth investing in shoes that are suited for your sport, it’ll reduce the risk of niggling injuries. Tell us your most embarrassing story from in the gym! I was doing box jumps, misjudged it, barrel rolled off the side landing on a dumbbell! We’ve all been there right!? How do you reach your personal best? I chip away at my goals a little each day, some days are better than others, but they all serve towards improving - the personal bests will follow. If you could train/ be trained by anyone of your choice, dead or alive, who would it be? I have a love for endurance running so to train with the master Kilian Jornet would be unforgettable. What would your advice be to someone who has neglected exercise for a long time? Any words of encouragement to get involved?                                  It’s never too late to start, find something that gets you up and out of the house and just keep at it. There are countless activities on island, find one you enjoy and get stuck in!    If you fancy getting into the gym, Fletcher Sports has a large range of trainers, running shoes and clothing. Come and speak to one of our experienced sales assistants who will help get you kitted out. You can shop online and collect in store too. To find your perfect pair of running shoes click here

 Fletcher Sports’ Team of the Month for November is Blaze A.  We spoke to Nena Copperwaite, the team’s captain and coach about their successful start to the season.    Blaze A have had another fantastic month, with a huge 83-39 win over Resolution IT Black. We have also posted a 48-28 win over Titans A which was a great performance from the girls, particularly in both our attacking and defending circles where we were up against our fellow Guernsey Panther team mates. On that occasion Hannah Blondel came away with the Player of the Match nomination for her superb efforts in making numerous interceptions at WD.  Both our shooters (Abbie Greening and Jemma Green) have been outstanding this season. The high scores that we have been able to post are a testament to them and the work they have been putting in both on and off court.    This season our aim is to win the league, however this is going to be tough and could potentially come down to the last match of the season as we are up against stiff opposition in the form of Resolution IT Green. The last time we played each other at the start of the season the match ended in a high scoring 62-62 draw. We were due to play them again recently, but due to circumstances out of Resolution’s control, they were without two very key players. Out of respect to Resolution, and because the league is so tight this year, we requested that our match be moved to a date when both sides can field a full squad.  Therefore, we are now due to play them at the end of the season which could end up being the title decider!    Netball is a fantastic sport for people of any age to get involved with and here in Guernsey our Guernsey Netball Association (GNA) has something to cater for everyone, from elite level (Guernsey Panthers), to club level, walking netball, minis netball (starting from reception age), men’s netball, social summer leagues and also Nets (an indoor version played in a court surrounded by spring netting in which you bounce the ball off).    Currently netball has seen a huge boost in participation numbers, following England's gold winning medal performance at this year’s Commonwealth Games. With weekly matches of the Vitality Superleague (the UK’s top netball league) being shown on Sky Sports and a new sponsorship deal between England Netball and Nike, now is an exciting time to get involved with the game. We have seen a big rise in participation on island with numerous girls attending weekly club sessions and trialling out for various Guernsey Panther Squads.    Being part of a team sport like netball is fantastic as not only does it keep you active but for children it teaches them about teamwork, respect and is brilliant for socials skills, often lifelong friendships are formed through playing sport. The GNA currently has two clubs which offer youth netball -  Nerine (reception - seniors) and Investec Wealth Zebras (Year 5 through to seniors).    If anyone would like to get involved in netball then they should visit the GNA website, www.guernseynetball.gg where they can find contact details for all club and island teams.  They can also contact the GNA direct from there if they wish any further information with regards to Walking Netball, Nets or Summer League.

Fletcher Sports is incredibly proud of Guernsey's local sporting scene and believe it deserves as much exposure as it can get. Each month we will be crowning our local Team of the Month as a way of celebrating achievements of all kinds. This month we have chosen the Source touch rugby team, which recently took part in the Dragoni Touch Tournament in Milan, finishing an impressive 2nd.  We caught up with team captain Harry Burns to find out a little bit more... What previous experience have you had as a team before this tournament? Source has been running a team in the Guernsey Touch League for a while now, so some of us have played together for years, winning the league on multiple occasions in mixed, men’s and women’s. Even though lots of players who joined us on this trip haven’t played in a Source shirt for long, we adapted and played extremely well together. Admittedly we also did some additional training before the tournament, to get used to each other’s play styles and see how we could all merge together to become more effective. What were your thoughts on the tournament and how the Source team played? Well before the tournament admittedly I was nervous, as it was the first time Source had competed internationally and I had the responsibility of being captain. But as the tournament started we set a high example and played exceptionally in the group stages, including a 10-0 victory. This set us to be the second highest scoring team of the day, allowing us to skip the quarterfinals and go straight through to the semi-finals. In this game we fought hard to come away with a 5-2 win, setting us off to the finals versus the Milan home team who finished above us on scores in the group rounds. Unfortunately, we lost out in the final 6-3 to a strong team with some Italian internationals. But overall, I can look back at the tournament with pride as the team played incredibly and hoping to see Source enter more international tournaments in the future. As a captain, how did you try and keep the team morale going? In all honesty, it wasn’t hard, as all the team seemed to enjoy the games and enjoy winning obviously. Also, the team was built with highly-motivated sports individuals anyway, including individuals from the Guernsey Rugby Ladies’ team. But for me, one of the key ways of keeping a constant message is having pre-match warm-ups together as a team, as well as having a post-match team overview so we can all discuss what we thought of the game and how we can improve. I also try to encourage all team members to not be afraid to come and talk to me, if they want to talk to me about something they want to change. Why is touch such a good sport and why should people get involved? Touch is one of the fastest growing sports in Guernsey, with multiple opportunities for both genders. In 2018, Guernsey sent two teams to the European Touch Championships. Both the women’s and men’s played very well, including the men finishing Guernsey’s best rank of 6th in Europe. One of the key attractions is that it doesn’t have the physicality that rugby union does but relies more so on the aerobic ability of the players. With more than 375 members, the social side of touch is also a huge benefit, with the likes of end of season parties and trips away together, like Milan. You can easily get involved, just contact Guernsey touch at the guernseytouch.org.gg website. If you think your local team deserves our Team Of The Month award get in touch with us and let us know.

As the new season gets closer we caught up with the man who masterminded last years promotion, Jordan Reynolds. Last season was an amazing success, what do you think gave you the edge?  There are many factors that contribute to a successful season, hard work, commitment and even luck. We had a fair amount of all of that, but overall, we were consistently able to adapt our game to find a winning formula in games.  We assume the team had a well-earned rest over the summer? If only! The boys have had 5 weeks off and are were back into pre-season in July.  Pre-season is an important time for the team, a time where we start to make the big gains ready for the 18/19 Nat 2S season.  How do you think the team will respond to last years promotion? The players and coaching staff are excited about the opportunity to compete at such a high level. National 2 will definitely be a higher standard than we have ever played before, but that just means we need to work harder and embrace the challenges ahead.  How are you planning to deal with the travel challenges for next year’s fixtures?  Travel has always been the nature of the beast when playing for Guernsey, if you want to play sport at a high level then crossing the sea comes with it. Fortunately, our players have had some practice over the years, but National 2 will offer up a few different obstacles than before. There is the possibility of having a few stay-over games in places like Bristol, although not ideal there are many worse places I could think of for us to be staying in. Guernsey Raiders kick-start their season on the 1st September against Old Albanians. The first home game of the season is the following week against Worthing. Fletcher Sports is the only place to get official Raiders merchandise.  Available online and in-store. 

After the success of the 17/18 season, Fletcher Sports caught up with 2017 Players player of the year & Supporters player of the year Anthony Armstrong to debrief on last years exploits and look ahead to the new season. If you had to sum up last season in one sentence what would it be?  Beyond anything I could have expected at the start of the season. The Siam Cup was a huge win - how did it feel in the changing room after the game? We were all buzzing. Everyone, whether we’ve lived here all our life or been here for a year, know how much it meant to everyone at the club. This season’s team works so well together, what makes everyone gel? We’re all good mates, it’s a lot easier to turn up and grind out results when you’re doing it with your mates What was your biggest challenge last season? The biggest challenge was probably being at the top end of the table. Everyone you play against is desperate to beat you so we had to make sure we turned up every week. What are you most looking forward to next season and the promotion? All of the challenges of next year; the increased travelling, stronger teams. You always want to test yourself at the highest level possible so really looking forward to giving it a crack. Guernsey Raiders start their new campaign with an away match against Old Albanians on 1st September,  The first home game of the season is a week later on 8th September against Worthing.  Fletcher Sports are delighted to be the exclusive kit partner of The Guernsey Raiders and stock a large selection of official merchandise, available online and in-store.

We have been getting up close and personal with Guernsey sports teams to check out their training and find out just why they are so good. This important, but fun, responsibility has been firmly on the shoulders of team member Kai, however, due to an injury, our very own Reece has taken on the mantle and this month he joined a Guernsey Cricket practice at the KGV.    The team are gearing up for a busy season looking to their matches in Sussex, T20 tournaments and of course the hotly contested inter-insulars. So what better time for Reece to have a go at playing cricket on grass and with a hard ball for the first time?   Check out our video for some amazing bird's eye views, catch ups with the players and T20 Captain and to hear how Reece plays it all pretty cool!   Don't forget you can get all your official, new Guernsey Cricket kit at Fletcher Sports both in-store and online   

Running Remixed - sign up now for our exclusive On running and Tri Fitness night   On 3 May at 6pm we will be holding an exclusive On running and Tri Fitness session in Town where you can get the exclusive opportunity to try out On running shoes in this one of a kind 'try before you buy night'!   A great evening, join us for a short fitness session including a short run as well as a fitness session with Tri Fitness - all whilst you get to try out a great pair of On running shoes, before returning to Fletcher Sports for a much-needed pizza refuel.    Spaces are limited to a maximum of 30 people, so hurry to sign up now before you miss out. To find out more or to secure your space email ben@fletchersports.co.uk or send us a Facebook message. Please also let us know your shoe and clothing size in advance so we can get your kit ready! 

Here at Fletcher Sports, we are very proud of all the Guernsey sports teams we support - and what better way to get to know them better than to join in a practice?   In the run-up to the  Netball Inter-Insulars we sent our very own Kai off to train with the Guernsey Panthers and, phew, did they put him through his paces!   A fast and furious game, netball demands not only pinpoint precision but also bags of puff and stamina.    Watch our video and find out how the Panthers train, what the latest news on the team is and just how quickly Kai realises he is going to need to dig deep to keep up - and that was just the warm-ups! It was great to see the Panthers in action and we were thoroughly impressed with their amazing fitness levels and dedication to training. Guernsey Netball is also fantastic at getting youngsters into the sport with teams starting with Under 11s and going all the way up to Under 19.   Best of luck for the Inter-Insular Panthers - we'll be cheering you on all the way!   Don't forget you can get all your official Panthers kit at Fletcher Sports both in-store and online   

At Fletcher Sports we support all things active on Guernsey and are very proud of the sports teams on our island who are always punching above their weight. One of these great teams is the Guernsey cricket team which in recent years has started to broaden its horizons and play in bigger international leagues. We caught up with Ashley Wright, Head of Cricket. Ashley started playing the sport when he was just 13 and his love of the game has never left him. He has worked as a coach for many years, including with Surrey CCC, Sussex CCC and is about to embark on his third year with Guernsey. Last year Guernsey suffered a narrow defeat to Jersey, the question on everybody’s lips is can we beat them this year? Last season’s defeat to Jersey was bittersweet for me. I thought that we played some excellent cricket in parts and it showed the progression that we have made as a batting unit. Unfortunately, a better team beat us on the day. However, our team continues to progress and although we are the underdogs, I truly believe that we can beat Jersey if we play to our potential. How does it feel to be playing on a much bigger and more international stage? It’s always great to see how passionate the players are when representing their island. I am especially impressed with how dedicated they are and how much time and effort they put in to make Guernsey proud.   We have heard that training can be quite intense for the team - from practice, fitness and diet as well - can you tell us a bit more? Coming from a professional background, the training side has been one of the hardest things to get right. Getting the balance between professional and amateur is particularly tricky.  When the lads train, they train like professionals but the biggest difference in the amount of contact time. Our players all have jobs and families to juggle alongside the need to work hard to improve. Sometimes we get the balance wrong but it’s very important that when we train, we train properly and hard. What do you think the biggest challenge will be for the team in the upcoming season? As individuals, we have a goal for constant improvement and as a team, we have three performance goals. This season the goal is to gain promotion in the T20 European WCQ and win the inter-insular. We also want to get back into WCL 5 in 2 years time. Do you think we have enough young players waiting in the wings to keep up the team’s momentum? We are lucky that a majority of our squad is young enough to play for the next ten years. This will give time for the next batch of cricketers in our new system to come through. The hard thing with Guernsey with such tight immigration laws is that we don’t get many cricketers coming to the island unlike other associate nations. I think for such a small island with a small number of cricketers to choose from, we massively overachieve. This doesn’t mean that we don’t want to keep progressing but the challenges are getting harder each year. What do you think is the best way for kids to start playing cricket and how should Guernsey be encouraging this? For me, fun is the most important factor when starting to play any sport. It is also important to keep challenging the players so that they improve and continue to enjoy the sport. We have started a new future stars program for the 5-12 year olds. The aim is to get everyone involved by letting all the kids have a go at batting, bowling and just trying things out for themselves. We want the kids to have a go at everything and enjoy themselves. It’s an 8-week course and all the players get their own bat and ball to get them started. Good luck lads! We can’t wait to see you all play this year, we are sure the new season will give us some great memories.  If you fancy lining up at the crease this summer, why not head down to Fletcher Sports or shop online for bags, bats, balls, gloves, pads, shoes - whatever you need, we can help!