LONDON Olympic organisers dreamed the 2012 Games would inspire a new generation of athletes and, if Tendring’s Amy Lane is anything to go by, that dream is quickly turning to reality.

The 15-year-old volleyball star is set to lead England junior women at next month’s School Games, four years after watching the sport live in the Olympic Park.

The School Games will see around 1,600 of the nation’s finest young sports stars compete across 12 current and future Olympic and Paralympic sports – seven of which include disability competition – at Loughborough University from September 1 to 4.

A high-performance event for elite youth athletes and a key step on the road to senior success for Team GB’s next generation of athletes, the School Games is supported by National Lottery funding from Sport England and delivered by the Youth Sport Trust.

Lane, a Tendring Technology College student, was also inspired by her sister Jessica – an England player – whose footsteps she hopes to follow in.

“My sister, Jessica, was playing volleyball and so I decided to get involved – although I did not think I would get this far,” she said.

“I went to watch volleyball in the Olympics and it made me want to do it more. I found it very inspiring and it switched the light on.

“I started taking it seriously about two years ago. It was always my favourite sport but I never imagined I would get this far.

“I feel amazingly honoured to have been chosen to captain the England Junior Women’s team at the School Games – that is the icing on the cake and makes me feel that all the effort and hard work has paid off.”

The School Games is supported by a range of partners including the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Sport England, Youth Sport Trust, Department of Health, British Paralympic Association and Leicestershire and Rutland Sport, with the multi-sport event seen as one of the annual highlights for school-age elite athletes.

And Lane, who plays for Tendring Volleyball Club, has a clear aim ahead of the Games and has made sure her team have been putting in the hard yards.

“I hope to get into contention for a medal – although gold is the big aim,” she said.

“I hope to make sure that we work together as a team well – that is very important to us. It would be huge if we got a medal, it would make it a special experience.

“In training, we are working very hard in a load of positions.”

The 2016 School Games tickets are now on sale.

To book your place to support the athletes and the Games please head to http://www.2016schoolgames.com/tickets