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Guernsey FC player Robbie Legg has been recognised among young regional sports stars across the UK in the 2016 OCS Young Sportsperson of the Year Awards.
The talented 17 year old footballer was selected for the 2016 OCS Young Sportsperson of the Year Awards for the Channel Islands region. This is the first year the Channel Islands have been included in the UK-based awards.
Robbie was presented the award by Gaby Logan, BBC Sport commentator and former international gymnast, at an awards evening at City Hall in London on Tuesday 1 November.
Robbie attended the awards with his parents, Jonathan and Amanda, and football coach Angus Mackay.
A footballer since the age of four, Robbie played for Sylvans Sports Club for seven years before joining their senior team. Robbie joined the Guernsey College Football Academy at 16 and was fast tracked to a place in the Guernsey FC football team - he has now completed two seasons with the senior team.
Robbie was brought up in a sports-orientated family. The entire Legg family have been huge supporters of Liverpool Football Club for many years and in particular, Robbie’s sporting hero, Steven Gerrard. He also had a keen interest in other sports, having represented Guernsey playing cricket in the UK when he was 13.
Robbie was put forward for the award by Guernsey College Football Academy director and GFC manager, Tony Vance who said: “We are incredibly grateful to OCS for the support they have shown for the Guernsey College Football Academy this season. The unique partnership that has been developed and the contacts we have managed to secure through OCS will ensure that we are able to provide exciting opportunities off island for this year’s group. I would also like to congratulate Robbie on his nomination for this iconic awards ceremony, there is no doubt he has a promising future ahead of him.”
The Guernsey College Football Academy (GCFA) has also been recognised for the role it plays in supporting young sports people by OCS. The GCFA, in partnership with the Guernsey College of Further Education was introduced four years ago to encourage aspiring footballers to continue their studies and develop their footballing skills at the same time, by combining academic studies with player development, helping them to progress towards their sporting and career aspirations.
Robbie said: “Being picked to attend the awards and make the trip to the UK was incredible; I wasn’t expecting it at all. I’m very appreciative of OCS for their support and recognition. It was a fantastic attending the awards evening with hundreds of budding sports professionals. It was all very overwhelming but an amazing experience.”
The OCS Young Sportsperson of the Year Awards are held in partnership with SportsAid, the charity dedicated to funding emerging sports talent in the UK and helping the next generation of British athletes succeed.
The awards began in 1998 and give outstanding young athletes recognition and support at the start of their sporting journey.
In 2016, 13 of the previous finalists competed at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio. In 2012 14 former YSP winners represented Great Britain at the Olympics and Paralympics
Managing director of OCS in Guernsey, Paul Timms, said: “Robbie is an exciting prospect for Guernsey FC - he has worked hard to get to where he is today. The OCS Young Sportsperson of the Year Awards provide support for talented young sports people and to the future of British sport as a whole. It’s fantastic that the Channel Islands are now recognised as part of the UK awards.”
