Merry Christmas

and a very Happy New Year

♥

You will be pleased to hear that Jo-Jo received several awards that evening. But due to her training commitments at Loughborough, for London 2012, she was unable to attend the prestigious ceremony. Her father, Andrew, stepped in and collected the following awards on behalf of Jo-Jo.

Jo-Jo was named Rochford District Disability Sports Personaility of the Year 2011, she was also nominated with distinction for Sports Personality of the Year. 

Services to Sport went to Doug Drake (Head Coach)

Sports Personaility of the Year went to Phil Harper (Masters Swimmer)

The following report can also be found at Waters & Stanton >> blog <<

The 4th Annual Rochford District Sports Awards took place on Thursday 13th October at the Mill Arts & Events Centre, Rayleigh, and once again Waters & Stanton were proud to be sponsoring the ‘Disability Sports Personality of the Year Award’. Nearly 200 guests attended the event which was compered by BBC Essex Sports Journalist Ben Fryer.

Swimmer Jo-Jo Cranfield won the ‘Disability Sports Personality of the Year’ for the second year in a row. At the DSE Short Course Junior Nationals 2010 held in Sheffield in February she won Silver medals in 100m Freestyle, 200m Medley, 400m Team Medley & 100m Breaststroke. She also passed her A-Levels and earned a place at the prestigious Loughborough University studying  for a degree in Sports Coaching, she has also been offered a place in the Elite Loughborough University Swimming Team alongside World Championship swimmers such as Liam Tancock and Joanne Jackson. W&S would like to wish Jo-Jo the best in her campaign to compete in the 2012 Paralympic Games and congratulate her on her win at the Rochford Award Ceremony, you can find out more about Jo-Jo here on her website.

Pictured below is Jo-Jo collecting her award from Chairman of Rochford Council, Simon Smith and Jeff Stanton of Waters & Stanton.

Jo-Jo enrolled on her B.Sc Honors Degree in Sports Coaching at the world renowned University/College Loughborough on the 19^th September 2011

She is settling in well, and after only being there for one week she has already made an impression on her peers and consequently she has been voted in to be the female Sports Coaching – Course Representative

 Her swimming training is going well. She is now a member of the Elite Loughborough Swimming Squad http://www.loughboroughswimming.com/Loughborough-Swimming-Squads-2009-10.php 

Degree in Sports Coaching at Loughborough University/College.

Jo-Jo has also been offered a prestigious place as part of the Elite Loughborough University Swimming Team where she will be training with the likes of Liam Tancock and Joanne Jackson.

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If you would like to help

towards Jo-Jo’s paralympic 2012 or 2016 dream

you can by leaving a donation here

Or  Email - jojo@tajj.freeserve.co.uk

16^thMD  Heat 100m Breaststroke SB8 3^rd

♥

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Jo-Jo is now a Qualified National Pool Lifeguard

To qualify as a lifeguard she had to attend a week long course, which covered a variety of life saving skills and at the end of the course PASS five individual exams, which were.

A Theory test, CPR exam, First Aid exam, Pool exam, and Spinal board exam all of which she did at the Virgin Active Leisure Centre, Clements Hall in Hawkwell/Rochford. The course run from the 25 to 29 July 2011.

Well done Jo-Jo!!!

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Bruce was my best friend I will always love him  

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British International swimming championships / European Trials, held at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, Sheffield between the 8-10 April 2011. There were over 24 different countrys competing at this event,  Austria, Belguim, Brazil, Catalona, China, China Taipei, Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Iceland, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Latvia, Malaysia, Netherlands, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Uganda, Ukraine, and Wales. All the events were MD (multi disability) and I was up against swimmers of all ages, and all disabilities in all classifactions. Which is not good, because it normally means the lower classifications win. I qualified for all 7 events available in my disability classification, which is S9 SB8 SM9,  I chose to enter only 2 events due to the amount of A level course work I am currently doing at the moment.

Here are my Results   

British International Swimming Championships (50m) 2011

MD (Multi Disability) events up against all disabilities 

30^th MD  200m Individual Medley  S9  7^th  

33^rd MD  100m Breaststroke SB8 4^th 

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Here are my Results  

British Gas National Championships / European Trials 2011 Long Course

MD (Multi Disability) events up against all disabilities 

18^th MD  Heat 200m Individual Medley  S9  5^th  

16^th MD  Heat 100m Breaststroke SB8 3^rd

Results  

DSE 18u National Junior Short Course Swimming Championships – Sheffield

100m Freestyle  S9   2^nd

200m Individual Medley  S9   2^nd

400m Team Medley Relay  2^nd (Jo-Jo Freestyle)

100m Breaststroke  SB8   2^nd 

400m Freestyle Team Relay  4^th

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The weekend started out well and I was looking forward to the competition.

My daddy, met me at Sheffield to stay and support me whilst my brother and mummy stayed at home with my best friend Bruce (my dog). Unfortunately Bruce who is 15½ was not very well he has been on medication for his heart for a few years now. As the weekend progressed Bruce’s health deteriorated so much so that my dad had to leave for home in the middle of the night. We prepared ourselves for the worst. I pulled out of most of my events because I was so upset. I just could not stop crying. I was going to lose my best ever friend. Did I want to go home with my dad or did I want to stay away? I didn’t want to see Bruce in such a bad way. I love Bruce so so much. We all prepared ourselves for the worst.

First thing Sunday morning my mummy, daddy and brother took Bruce to the vets.

The vet came out of his room and asked why are you all crying? Bruce could not stand up un aided he keeps falling down, walking into things, his eyes are shaking all the time and his head is all twisted over. The vet replied, Bruce has got a problem with his middle ear, which is affecting his balance, and that he would be fine in a week or two.

Phew! What a relief.

As you can probably tell I did not swim that good and I only ended up entering 4 events plus 1 relay. But on the other hand Bruce is still with us Hooray and you will be pleased to know he is on the mend.

I love Bruce!

♥

The photo above is of myself and Sir Mike Jackson MBE from The Presidents Sporting Club with one of Westborough’s PE teachers Mr Funa and some year 2 children.

Sir Mike Jackson MBE had just presented me with a donation towards my Paralympic dream.

If you think you could help

towards my paralympic 2012 or 2016 dream

you can by leaving a donation here

Or  Email - jojo@tajj.freeserve.co.uk

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Click here for >>> House of Commons <<< Christmas Adjournment debate.