A young up-and-coming volleyball star in Taunton is looking for sponsorship to help him make that next step.

Ben Alvey, 16, who started playing volleyball at the age of eight, has made significant strides in his sporting career.

Under the guidance of coach Jurek Jankowski, a former England and Polonia player,he quickly progressed to playing in higher age groups, honing his skills with every training session and match.

By the age of 13, the youngster had trialled for England, securing a place in the Under-17s cadets.

He continues to train with the team, having moved up to the Under-20s, and aspires to play for England one day.

Alvey also trialled and was selected for the South West Under-15s team for three consecutive years.

(Image: Dawn Alvey) This year, he captained the team, leading them to first place in the Inter-regionals, where they remained unbeaten, only dropping two sets.

He was awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) title for the Under-15s at the championships.

Next, Alvey is set to trial again this month for the South West Indoor Regional Championships for Under-17s.

This summer, he also trialled for the Indoor Regional Championships South West Under-17s Beach Championships, held in Cardiff.

Despite only having trained for four sessions on the beach, Alvey and his team secured third place.

He has now finished training at his local Taunton club and currently plays for the Exeter EDVA men's Division 1, their Under-18s, and South West teams.

He also travels to Bedminster, near Bristol, to train and play for their National Volleyball League Division 3 South team.

In addition to his own training, Alvey also helps out with training sessions for beginners.

(Image: Dawn Alvey) Currently in his last year at school, he plans to pursue a career in carpentry while continuing his volleyball journey.

Young Alvey, who trains four times a week, is seeking sponsorship to help cover the costs of training, matches, sports clothing, trainers, transport, and accommodation.

He hopes that a helping hand will enable him to further his career in volleyball.

For more information, you can email qpcracker@hotmail.co.uk.