Ben Wilkinson

Name: Ben Wilkinson

Date of Birth: 6 July 1983

Age: 18

Birthplace: Preston, Lancashire

Club: Ashton-on-Ribble Preston (Division 2)

Position: Setter

Shirt Number: 6

Measurements:

Height: 189cm

Weight: 67kg

Block Touch: 300cm

Spike Touch: 320cm

Other Interests: watching and playing Basketball,listening to Music and going to gigs (the Hives ruled)! When I get the chance I will have a good surf on the lovely beaches of Newquay.

Biopic: I was asked to start playing volleyball at the tender age of 10 years old by Martin Hewitt. Were each week I learnt all the differnt techniques involved in volleyball and they came to me pretty quickly. When I was 14 years old I was selected for the under 15's Lancashire Squad, were I gained the number one setting role and the captained the team. After that I was selected for the North West under 15's and carried on till the under 17's. The Inter-Regionals was a great chance to shine and show the skills I have learnt over the years, and shine they did because I was selected to go to a North of England Training camp in St Bees, Cumbria.
I was 15 when I was Surprisingly picked to train with the best from the North of England. At the end and start of a new month I trained with the North England Cadet squad, this went on for a 2 year cycle, were I was being trained up and polished off to hopefully obtain a place in the England Junior men's Squad. At the end of the 2 year cycle with the cadets I was asked to play for the England cadet sqaud, were the best from the North, Central and south cadets came together to form a team that can hold it's own in Europe.
The cadets had finsihed and I was picked to train and play with the England junior men's squad at the upper heyford USAF, in Oxfordshire. I knew the next 2 years of my life was going to be hard and exhausting and I was right, but it's still FUN! During my time as a junior I have had the chance to improve my setting skills by learning a whole new dimention and technique to my game by Jim wright and keith Trenam and playing in Europe with the juniors, the under 21's England squad and playing for the senior's in saudi Arabia.

Honours: Numerous England Junior Caps

3 England Senior Caps

Playing for England Cadets

Captain for Lancashire Under 15's and starting setter of North West U17's

Best Moment: Recieving my first England Senior men's cap against saudi Arabia in September of 2001.

Worst Moment: Being sat on the bench for 6 months of my junior career and getting wupped 4 times by Australia.

Contact: the_wilkster@hotmail.com