Natasha Jonas

Natasha Jonas was born in Toxteth, Liverpool and is part of Great Britain’s elite female boxing squad
Initially intending to be a footballer, she spent eighteen months in the United States on a football scholarship, before returning to the United Kingdom and studying media studies at Edge Hill University, Lancashire. She took up boxing in 2005, and by 2010 had won the English Amateur Boxing Association championships five times, as well as the European Championships in the lightweight division in 2009. The BBC highlighted Natasha as ‘being tipped to lead Britain’s medal challenge’ at the 2012 Summer Olympics in  London, where women’s boxing will feature for the first time. She currently works for the Toxteth council and does part-time youth work.

Natasha is also a ‘Sky Sports Living for Sports’ mentor, visiting schools around the country and as she says:
“Hopefully making a big difference to the lives of young people”.

My School:
Weatherhead High School, Wallasey.

My Favourite Teacher:
Without doubt it was my PE teacher Mrs Moretta; she inspired me to do my best in sports.

Favourite Subject at School:
Definitely PE, well it would have to be wouldn’t it.

Were you streetwise or a bit of a geek?
I was definitely in the streetwise crew but I joined every school group I could because they let you out of lessons early and then I would be first in line at the food queue, I loved my food and still do.

My Favourite Childhood Band:
I was a big fan, and still am of The Backstreet Boys and Nsync, but I have to admit to being a closet Take That fan which wasn’t very streetwise.

My Favourite Extra-Curricular Activity:
Football! I started to play for Glenavon JFC as a junior and spent 18 months in America on a football scholarship but when I came back to Liverpool, I took up boxing in order to lose weight and get fit. It’s funny how things work out.

Do you remember your first school crush?
Yes, it was Peter Andre, I know!

My Favourite Book:
As a child I always remember ‘Which Witch’ by Eva Ibbotson but I was also a big fan of the Goosebump books.

School Dinners:
When you love food as much as I did you will eat virtually anything and that always included school dinners.