Harry’s successful punt at American football
Harry Barnes, a multisport competitor from High Barnes Sunderland, has started yet another sport.
American football is not a sport most people usually considers when finding a new hobby in England, but brave 15-year-old Harry has taken to0 the pitch – and is off to a flying start.
American football is, in Harry’s words, “an antistress sport”.
His job is to stop the opposition’s wing players scoring touchdowns.
He likes this position for the bursts of adrenaline which allow him to enter a world away from exams and pressure to do well academi- cally, which he always does.
As a result of exams, Harry has had to adjust how much sport he does in order to balance revision and schoolwork, a pain when he plays basketball and cricket as well.
American football, however, has now become Harry’s main sporting priority.
He was inspired to play American football when he watched The Denver Broncos (Harry’s personal favourites) beat the Carolina Panthers in the Superbowl 50 a couple of years ago.
He has also been down to London to watch a live game.
Harry has also played cricket for many years since joining the under 11 team.
He won the league as part of that squad and has since seen the same success with the U13s and U18s.
His favourite cricket memory was when he watched the ashes at Durham and was interviewed by Mike Gatting, a cricket legend.
Harry’s success in basketball is also growing as he has scored three twenty plus points in one game this season.
However, despite all of this success, Harry still wants more: he’s looking to take up baseball (I feel sorry for his parents).
Although we may wonder where he gets his energy, we wish Harry continued sporting success as he leaves Thornhill to go on to bigger things.