Celebrating Gypsy Roma
Traveller History Month.
There are lots of different groups of
Gypsies and Travellers
• Some Travellers lives in houses
• Some live on sites like this:
• Some live ‘roadside’
because they don’t have a
site to go to.
• Some travel with the Fairground or Circus
• Remember - Gypsies have lived in England for
hundreds of years!
This years GRTHM Competition Sporting heroes
• Do you know of any
Gypsy Roma Traveller
people past or present
who have inspired you
through their amazing
sporting achievements?
• Which Gypsy Roma
Traveller people have got
to the top of their sport?
• Do you know any Gypsy
Roma Traveller
Olympians?
Let me help you!
Savannah McCarthy is Ireland’s under-19
International defender
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Ireland’s F.A under-17 international player of the year
She has captained Ireland’s girl’s team.
Signed to Glasgow City for the Scottish women’s Premier league.
Won the Irish Traveller Pride Award for sporting achievements.
Her coach said “She’s an amazing young girl, with an amazing story. She has
great leadership skills, a fantastic personality. She took on board her duties as
captain and had the respect of all the players.”
Romany Gypsy
Athlete John Smith
aiming for
Paralympics
•Ranked number one in the world as a seated Javelin thrower
• Won Gold with a Javelin throw in Berlin 2014
• Wheelchair racing: Competed in international races all over Europe,
both track and road races including two half marathons and the London
and New York marathons.
• Ranked number 1 in the UK for the 5 k and 10 k track event and
number 2 overall
My mantra is ‘You can be dealt a bad hand in life but that doesn’t mean
to say you can’t have a good game! I would love to win a Paralympic
Gold Medal in Rio and come back a sporting hero, and show everyone
in the UK what we are capable of.”
Margarita Doherty
• From Irish Traveller background
• Twice been crowned English girls Kickboxing
champion
• Competed in the World Championships in
Portugal this year.
• Training since she was seven.
While Margarita has the support of her family and the club, she said
some people thought kickboxing was just for boys. She said: “Some
people are pleased and happy for me. Some are upset and say I
shouldn’t be doing stuff like this. I just want to make something of
myself.”
She thanked her trainers, “When you love something so much you can
put your heart into it. One day I’d love to be a trainer and I hope to help
more Traveller girls to get into kickboxing.”
Her trainer said: “When Margarita trains she gives it 100 per cent and I
see her winning the World title. She is a credit to us.”
Andrea Pirlo
Is an Italian professional
footballer who plays for
American club New York City FC
and the Italian national team. Pirlo is the
fourth-most capped player in the history of
the Italian national team with 116 caps. He
is widely regarded as one of the greatest
ever midfielders, due to his vision, ball
control, creativity and passing ability. He is
not afraid he to say is a Roma Traveller.
Ivy Jane Smith Romany gypsy boxer
Ivy Jane Smith,17,
• won her fourth National title earning a
place representing England in the
three Nations tournament
• semi finalist at the recent European
and World championships
• on track to represent team GB at the
2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Ivy Jane started boxing at three when her dad, a boxer
himself, used to play fight with her while teaching her the
moves. She has her sights set on an extraordinary goal “I
want to represent England at the 2020 Olympics” she
says. Go Ivy Jane! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FejhnwVZdU
Samson Lee
• Wales international rugby union player playing for the
Scarlets
• 2012 joined Wales international squad.
Lee said “I’m the first Traveller to play international rugby
and I’m very proud of that. I'm very close to my family . I go
back to see my grandmother and my cousins and my
nephews.”
Samson Lee was called a racist name by Joe Marler of the
England Rugby team. Joe Marler was then banned from
two games and fined £20,000.
Being a racist doesn’t pay!
Adalaide Purcell
• 14 and from Wales.
• In December 2012 received first junior black belt for kickboxing
• After holding 6 undefeated title bells for four years she gave boxing
a go.
• About to take part in British championships and Commonwealth
Games
“The biggest challenge that I had to overcome was being
accepted as a girl that can box. My advice to any young
person that wants to do the same is never give up and
no matter how hard it gets nothing feels better than the
feeling of winning. Hard work pays off!”
Billy Joe Saunders
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H0BaZoQ7xo
4:18
from
Billy Joe Saunders is a British
professional boxer.
•WBO middleweight champion
•Represented Great Britain at the 2008
Summer Olympics.
• First person from the Romany Gypsy
community to qualify for an
Olympic Games.
Boxing has kept me off the streets, stops me smoking and
drinking and gives me something to do", he said. Billy Joe's
dad, Tom, said: "I hope what Billy Joe has done will help
people understand a bit more about our Romany culture. That
would be fantastic." Billy Joe is enjoying the limelight . He is
proud of his achievements, proud of his roots.
"
Ricardo Quaresma
This Portuguese player has never made any
secret of the fact that he is Roma. His nickname is
even "Gypsy".
• Plays for the Al Ahly team in Dubai
• Before played for FC Barcelona, FC Porto, Inter
Milan, Chelsea and Istanbul.
• Has played 35 matches for his national team
and scored three goals for them.
• During EURO 2008 he even scored one of those
goals against the Czech Republic.
Why should we be proud of and
remember these sporting heroes?
Moment of reflection:
• What have they fought against to
succeed?
• What is it about them that has made them
winners?
• What qualities or skills have they used to
rise to the top in their sports?
What is it about them that has
made them winners?
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They fought off or ignored discrimination
Hard work
Determination
Resilience
Discipline
Drive
Practise
Commitment
Focus
Ignore anyone that says ‘you can’t do it!’
They said ‘I can do it’
This reminds me of…..
He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.
What could you make/do/write as a
competition entry?
• Play the video:
http://www.natt.org.uk/simplythebest/
• Booklet/leaflet/poster?
• Artwork?
Deadline is July 8th.
Take an entry form…
Any questions?
Footballers….. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZYGX2BTNe4