GRIMSBY Town defender Shaun Pearson has backed YMCA Humber's Humber Hop event, which will see fundraisers spacehopping across the Humber Bridge to raise funds to bring sporting activities back to deprived local communities.
The Mariners' star attended a PR event alongside Olympic hammer thrower Alex Smith on Hessle Foreshore last Friday and spoke of his delight and being able to be involved with the charity's Community Games campaign.
He said: "I was fortunate enough to work with getting young people into sport before I became a professional footballer.
"It was very rewarding and it has become even more of a focus after the success of the Olympic Games last year and as we strive for healthier lifestyles.
"I'm just pleased that I can use my role as a footballer to lend my support to events like this, which are helping young people get into sport when they might not have had the chance."
The 24-year-old has been renowned for his community work during his two seasons as a Mariner but even he admitted that the Humber Hop is one of the most unique events he has come across, especially on a bitterly cold morning at Hessle.
"You get asked to go to some strange events as a footballer," he said.
"But this ranks up there with one of the strangest.
"There are spacehoppers flying everywhere, even into the River Humber!
He continued: "People say about a cold Tuesday night at Blundell Park but I think this is worse than that.
"The driving rain and galeforce wind really get to you out here."
The Humber Hop event will see more than 70 fundraisers get on their spacehoppers and hop the one mile from tower-to-tower on the world famous Humber Bridge.
Doing that length on the popular children's toy of the 70s and 80s is equivalent to 1,000 squats and Shaun joked that the routine could become a part of the Mariners' pre-season training.
He said: "The managers (Rob Scott and Paul Hurst) love to get us doing squats, so if they get wind of how many it is on a spacehopper across the Humber Bridge, then we could be up there doing our own event!"
The Humber Hop takes place on Saturday 1st June with participants meeting at Water's Edge, where a Community Games funday is taking place.
Registrations for the event are still open and more information can be found at www.humber-hop.gcymca.com or by calling (01472) 693388.
The Mariners' star attended a PR event alongside Olympic hammer thrower Alex Smith on Hessle Foreshore last Friday and spoke of his delight and being able to be involved with the charity's Community Games campaign.
He said: "I was fortunate enough to work with getting young people into sport before I became a professional footballer.
"It was very rewarding and it has become even more of a focus after the success of the Olympic Games last year and as we strive for healthier lifestyles.
"I'm just pleased that I can use my role as a footballer to lend my support to events like this, which are helping young people get into sport when they might not have had the chance."
The 24-year-old has been renowned for his community work during his two seasons as a Mariner but even he admitted that the Humber Hop is one of the most unique events he has come across, especially on a bitterly cold morning at Hessle.
"You get asked to go to some strange events as a footballer," he said.
"But this ranks up there with one of the strangest.
"There are spacehoppers flying everywhere, even into the River Humber!
He continued: "People say about a cold Tuesday night at Blundell Park but I think this is worse than that.
"The driving rain and galeforce wind really get to you out here."
The Humber Hop event will see more than 70 fundraisers get on their spacehoppers and hop the one mile from tower-to-tower on the world famous Humber Bridge.
Doing that length on the popular children's toy of the 70s and 80s is equivalent to 1,000 squats and Shaun joked that the routine could become a part of the Mariners' pre-season training.
He said: "The managers (Rob Scott and Paul Hurst) love to get us doing squats, so if they get wind of how many it is on a spacehopper across the Humber Bridge, then we could be up there doing our own event!"
The Humber Hop takes place on Saturday 1st June with participants meeting at Water's Edge, where a Community Games funday is taking place.
Registrations for the event are still open and more information can be found at www.humber-hop.gcymca.com or by calling (01472) 693388.
