You may have noticed one of our Year 8 students looking a little tired on a Monday morning recently, but it is not from staying up late playing video games. Jake Fagan actually spends around nine hours every single week perfecting his freestyle snowboarding skills across various indoor slopes.

What started as a simple bit of fun during a family holiday to Finland four years ago has rapidly evolved into a highly successful competitive career for the twelve-year-old. His training now takes him all over Europe, from hitting the famous Ruka park in Finland, to airbag practice in Belgium and sessions with the TJF Freestyle Academy at Penken Park in Mayrhofen, Austria.

This immense dedication is paying off in spectacular style across the 2026 competition circuit. Jake claimed first place in the Under 13 Slope Style at the English Championships in Castleford. He followed this up with another phenomenal gold in the Under 12 Street Style at the Indoor British Championships right here at the Tamworth Snowdome, where he also placed an incredible fifth overall across all age groups and nations.

Taking his talents outdoors to the massive mountain features of Austria, he handled the pressure brilliantly to secure third place in the Under 12 Big Air at the Outdoor British Championships.

The snowboarding industry is certainly taking notice. Jake has been selected for the 2026 to 2027 Snowsports England Park and Pipe squad, a team designed to develop top young freestyle athletes. He is also a team rider for Shovel clothing and has been selected for the prestigious Burton performer programme.

He is even rubbing shoulders with snowboarding royalty. Recently, he met snowboard cross gold medalist Huw Nightingale and regularly rides with top athletes like Mia Brookes. Back in October, he even headed out to ride with two-time Olympian Jamie Nicholls.

“Jake’s dedication to his sport is truly remarkable, and balancing his school commitments with such intense training takes a massive amount of discipline,” says Miss Dickins, Head of PE. “We are all incredibly proud of his achievements.Whether our students excel in our sports halls or halfway up a mountain in Austria, we absolutely love celebrating their out-of-school successes and encouraging them to pursue their passions.”

Seeing our students thrive beyond the school gates is a huge part of what makes our school such a friendly place where everyone is part of the school family.

Jake’s ultimate dream is to make a full-time career out of his sport, and his next major goal is to compete in the World Rookie Tour in America. For anyone inspired to try something new, his advice remains simple. He says you should not fear falling, and if you just keep pushing through, you will get used to it.