Hockey star hails life-changing impact of SportsAid funding

The 16-year-old has stepped up to play for England, matching his sister Betty in the process.

And the charity’s funding has been invaluable for the South London youngster as he makes his way on the international scene.

“SportsAid’s impact has been life-changing, I don’t think I have ever been more grateful in my life than it has been for SportsAid,” Cannon said.

“Because, if I didn’t have SportsAid, I don’t think I’d be able to play hockey, a sport that I really love.

“There are so many financial aspects to it, you have to have hockey sticks, bags, shoes, club fees, it is a huge financial burden on my family and SportsAid has helped us out a lot.”

Cannon praised his mum Sophia for helping him to get to where is today, with the support of his sister also crucial.

The two play for Knole Park Hockey Club in Sevenoaks, and Cannon described the pride he feels in sharing his successes with his family.

He added: “My mum, she’s my only parent and my sister, she also plays hockey for England as well and I feel like both of us are really competitive and that has really pushed and motivated me as well as her.

“We kind of push and bounce off each other, and my mum because she is just the person behind the scenes doing everything, driving me everywhere and helping me achieve what I have been doing, buying me new gear, new hockey sticks, new shinpads.

“It is out of this world to play for your country, some people never have that feeling of being selected for your country.

“It means you are the best of the best in your sport and it is unreal, indescribable.

“My mum constantly tells me that she is proud of me after I play internationally. Over the series of tournaments that I have played in this season and I think she feels rewarded and so do I.”

As well as representing his country, Cannon has also had to battle through two injuries to keep playing the sport he loves.

“Previously, over the last three years, I have been injured for a total of eight months,” he explained. “That has been unfortunate on the other hand however I have been able to bounce back from it.

“Three years ago, I had a massive cyst in my thigh, my femur bone, and I was out for three months and that was my first injury I have ever had in my career.

“And that left me really depressed and I got back into it and three months after recovery, once the new season had started, I fractured my collarbone playing men’s hockey.

“I was out for four months, despite this I am where I am today. I think injuries generally help athletes to think what sports really mean to them.”