Kingston’s students fine achievements in sport continues.
Kaia Tufteland
KU postgrad student Emilie Enger Aas has won an award for young and aspiring people, for her outstanding achievements in her promising handball career.
Enger Aas, 22, a Norwegian structural design and construction management student, won the Jack Petchey Award playing for the Thames Handball Club.
Miss Enger Aas said: “It was fun to win and to get recognised for something you love to do. The feeling that you are appreciated on the team is truly amazing.”
Recognising young achievers
The Jack Petchey Foundation was founded in 1999, to recognise young, talented people aged 11 to 25.
The scheme is open to applications from schools, clubs and youth groups, with the teachers or managers from each organisation choosing who to nominate.
Stepped up
Club chairman of the Thames Handball Club, Frank Wuggenig, nominated Enger Aas, who has played since she was 12 years old, on the basis of her contributions to the team and her relationship with the other players.
“She has really put a lot of effort into playing for the team, she used to score three or four goals in each match,” he said.
“When some of our good players left the club and she was the only one who could score from long distance she took it upon herself to really go for it and then scored about nine, 10 goals in each match, which is great,”
Mr Wuggenig added that Emilie took responsibility when she was needed most and was very happy to nominate her.
Helping the club
Miss Enger Aas said: “It is proof of initiative outside studies and university and also showed ability of cooperation with other people considering handball is a team sport.”
Along with the Jack Petchey achievement certificate the winner receives £200 to be spent within the club of their choice.
She said: “I’m happy to contribute money to the club. We talked about spending it on something special and customised for the club. I am very happy that handball is being recognised and I notice that the sport has become more popular in England.”