Hartlepool Inspire Exhibition
During the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, a formal exhibition will take place with the Hartlepool Art Gallery which will showcase and celebrate talented female athletes from Hartlepool. The aim of the project is to pass on their passion, dedication and love for sport through film and photography to inspire more females to part take in sport and physical activity.
Between the 7th July 2012 - 1st September 2012 Hartlepool Art Gallery will display images of rising stars, London 2012 hopefuls and past Olympians from the town. The exhibition will celebrate club/team sports as well as showcase items of memorabilia donated specifically to the INSPIRE exhibition. There will also be an opportunity to watch digital stories, short two minute films of what inspires people to participate and what motivates them to commit time and effort to the sport they love.
We will be previewing on this page, each of our athletes every few weeks to give a sample of what the exhibition entails. Watch here for further updates or contact sport.recreation@hartlepool.gov.uk for more information.
England football star Linsay Johnson is INSPIRED, are you???
Johnson was born in Hartlepool. She was educated at Fens Primary School, Manor College of Technology, and Hartlepool Sixth Form College. Her interest in sport in general began at a very early age. At the age of six, she began athletics training, although was not allowed to compete until the age of eight years. She went on to represent her county at 200m and the long jump and also represented her county at hockey and netball.
Johnson's football career began at the age of 11 when she joined St. Francis 2000 in Hartlepool. However, her Premier League career began relatively late when she joined Liverpool Ladies, from where she joined Everton Ladies in 2003. Everton supporters have given her the nickname "Lindsay Lighting" due to her pace. She played for Everton in their 1-0 FA Women's Cup defeat to Charlton Athletic Ladies in 2005, earning the Player of the Match award. She also featured in Everton's league cup win in 2008, beating Arsenal ladies in the final.
In May 2009, Johnson was one of the first 17 female players to be given central contracts by the Football Association. That August she was selected for the Women's UEFA 2009, where she appeared as a substitute in the quarter-final against Finland and played all of the semi-final extra-time victory against the Netherlands.
