My name is Sam Large, I am 21 and I was a student at TWGSB from 2012-2019. I competed on the world stage of acrobatic gymnastics from 2015-2021.

Almost my whole time at school I was training up to 25 hours a week in the gym, flying abroad for competitions and finding ways to fund it since it is not a widely sponsored sport. TWGSB was very supportive of me; I remember my tutor and friends helped make a cake sale to pay for my flights to China for the World Championships. A couple years later for the next World Championships Ms Simpson sponsored me the new GBR team tracksuit after asking her if I could arrange another cake sale. 

My competitive acrobatic career came to an end in November 2021 when I “retired”. I’d given everything in the last 10 years to my sport, I’d won a senior World Cup and got 2nd at the senior European Championships. By this point my partner and coach and I were ready to hang up the leotards. And so, we did.

6 months go by and I get an unexpected Instagram message from a show in Magaluf. They asked if I could cover for a Ukrainian acrobat who was stuck in Ukraine at the time. Feeling pretty lost in life without the direction and structure that gymnastics gave me I had no reason to say no and every reason to give it a try. The show was called Pirates Mallorca, I worked there for 6 months last year. We would perform around 5 shows a week and that was about it.

Very quickly I could see myself making a career out of this, I developed myself as an artistic product and I networked with different artists and agents.

My parents and i after a show at Pirates Mallorca

This year I’ve got a contract with Cirque Du Soleil in one of their most famous and longest running shows “O” in the world-famous Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, USA. My main act is a group of 8 acrobats who make an acrobatic display on a float in a 1-million-gallon pool. We haven’t created the act yet, but Im sure there’s going to be a lot of throwing people into the water, making human towers and holding crazy balances. 

Two new colleagues from Cirque du Soleil - we met up and trained in the UK before flying out to Vegas together.

I have found a niche where my skills are valued the most and now my plan is to make a career out of my childhood hobby. If I had any advice for an 18-year-old struggling to make huge education/career/ life choices it would be to think about what you’re passionate about and find your niche.

I hope that TWGSB continues to be a place where different career paths and talents are supported and guided. I am very grateful to my time at TWGSB.

Here is a link to one of the videos I sent to Cirque Du Soleil which got me the job:

TWGSB are all so proud of Sam and following his dreams, what a fantastic career to go into!  Best of luck Sam and please keep us posted.

If you have a story to tell to inspire the next generation and let them know what sort of exciting careers are out there, please do get in touch - we would love to put your story up here: ltipler@twgsboys.kents.sch.uk or connect@twgsboys.kent.sch.uk