Family of Magnus Church of England Academy pupil is raising funds to help him represent the Great Britain team at the European Youth Flag football Championship in Innbruck, Austira

A Fernwood family is raising funds for their son to travel overseas as he prepares to represent Great Britain the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Ashton-Lee Pugh, 15, has been selected to represent Team GB at the European Youth Flag Football Championships in Austria.

The Year 10 pupil at Magnus Church of England Academy has been selected for the mixed under-15 team, made up of just seven boys and eight girls, following a four-month trial process at Loughborough College.

“It’s amazing to be selected to play for Great Britain, an honour that not many athletes have in their career,” he said.

“I played last year for them in the European Championships in Serbia, and we won the silver medal.

“So this year we hope to go one better and win gold.”

Ashton-Lee’s father, Darren Pugh, has created a GoFundMe page to raise £1,200 to pay for the teenager’s travel, accommodation and everything related to his international tournament.

Flag Football receives no funding at the youth level, so the family is relying on the money raised through the page to support their son’s dream. People can donate at: https://gofund.me/b0312d9c.

Ashton-Lee’s journey in flag football began when he moved to the United States with his family at the age of three. His dad signed him up with i9 Sports, a youth recreational league in America, when he was six.

Ashton-Lee said: “I always had a ball at home, and me and my dad and would always throw it around.

“I love flag football because I get to meet new friends from all over the country and even Europe.

“It’s a fast, non-contact sport, so I enjoy the speed and the challenge of pulling or avoiding the flags.”

He currently plays under-17 flag football for the Lancashire Bombers, based near Blackburn, as there are no youth flag football teams in Newark, and only adult teams nearby in Lincoln and Nottingham.

He also recently joined the Nottingham Honey Badgers adult team to further his development by playing against adults.

Despite his busy schedule with flag football, Ashton-Lee also plays American football for Sheffield Giants, baseball for Croydon Pirates adult team, who are in the highest adult baseball league in the UK, and also for London Archers, a youth baseball academy based in London who play in tournaments all over Europe.

On top of that, he has previously represented Great Britain at baseball and is a member of the Newark Athletics Club.

The busy youngster added: “My immediate goals are to continue my development in this fastest growing sport in the world and to keep having the opportunity to represent Great Britain on the international stage at youth level, which ends at U17.

“In 2028, at the LA Olympics, Flag Football is being held and my goal is to be in with an opportunity of trying out for the GB men’s Gold Roster who, if they qualify, will be at the Olympics as one of eight nations taking part.

“I will only be 18 then, but if I can continue working hard and making the GB youth squads leading up, I believe in have a real chance.”

His father, said he was very proud of him as he works tirelessly to juggle all of his sports and fitness in with his school work, often doing his studies in the car.

Darren said: “To see him representing his country and wearing the colours of Great Britain is the proudest thing a parent can see, but all the above is self-funded so any help and support Ashton will be extremely thankful and grateful for to help him participate in the European Championships in September.”