SOUTH Somerset is home to an up-and-coming sporting talent, with young Megan Driskel excelling in cricket, rugby and tennis.

Megan, who has just turned nine, started with tennis at the age of four, playing at Taunton Tennis Club.

She has represented Somerset for the last two seasons, and in 2019 she won both the Under-8 and Under-9 county championships, on the same day!

In February, she made it to the final of an LTA (Lawn Tennis Association) tournament, coming away with the silver medal.

Megan has also been playing for Chard Rugby Club since the age of six, and having impressed coaches Rob Naish and Kieran Smillie with her determination and progress, she won the Coaches' Player of the Year award at the end of the 2018/19 season.

Then, in 2019, she played her first season in the Taunton & District Youth Cricket League, representing Broadway & Horton Under-11s.

Despite only being eight at the time, she took the most wickets in the team, and helped Broadway's U11 softball team finish second at the Wembdon Festival.

Having participated in a training session at the Cooper Associates County Ground, being coached by Western Storm players and awarded 'Player of the Day' by Sophie Luff, Megan signed up to play for the Taunton Deane Tornadoes U11 team in 2020.

Unfortunately the Youth Cricket League - like all sports - is suspended, in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

That means that her other sports of choice (aside from cricket, rugby and tennis of course!) - gymnastics and swimming - are also off the table for now.

Her mum Gena admits that Megan - a pupil at Neroche Primary School in Broadway, Ilminster - is finding it quite tough during the current lockdown.

"She is missing her sports tremendously, but using every excuse to get outside and play with a ball, devising all manner of new games outside," Gena said.

"We are also following various Facebook pages which have activities for the kids to do weekly - her favourite is the Chance to Shine weekly cricket challenges

"We are also doing a lot more walking than ever before, for obvious reasons!"

As well as her coaches at Chard Rugby Club, Naish and Smillie, Megan is grateful to all the other coaches and teachers who have helped her develop as an athlete and an individual.

Sophie Butland and Simon Woodland, at Taunton Tennis Club, have helped bring on her tennis, while her dad Steven coached her at Broadway & Horton Cricket Club.

Gena added: "Megan had just moved clubs to join Taunton Deane Tornadoes and had attended a few winter net sessions, before everything was shut down due to COVID-19.

"She really enjoyed these sessions and would like to thank Hannah, Harriett and the players for making her feel so welcome."

Gena and Steven are also grateful to her favourite teachers at Neroche Primary - Mrs Collins and Miss Millard - who "inspire her to be the best she can be".