By Ryan Walters

Tooting volleyball player Jordan Dalrymple admits he is in search of sun, sea and sand this year as he bids to build on his senior international bow.

Dalrymple might have missed out on London 2012 last summer but he made the most of the experience, carrying the Olympic torch and getting a taste of the atmosphere at the Games.

And the good times have continued to roll for the 19-year-old as, in January, he collected his first cap for England’s senior indoor volleyball team as they travelled to Luxembourg.

The indoor season has now ended but, rather than rest on his laurels, former Ernest Bevin College pupil Dalrymple is eager to keep the momentum going.

Dalrymple has teamed up with new partner Alistair Green and the pair are determined to leave their mark on the beach competition this season.

“The team didn’t perform as well as we had hoped out in Luxembourg but for me personally it was really good to get that first cap,” said Dalrymple.

“It was a big marker for me because I wasn’t sure if I was going to go but then I started the first game so it was great.

“Again, I didn’t play as well as I would have liked but the whole experience was great and I learned to deal with the pressure and took a lot away from it.

“Our season is now over because it runs from September to April so my immediate plans are to look towards the beach season.

“You can either have some fun with it or have an impact and I definitely want to have an impact with Alistair who is my third new partner and someone I think I can do well with.

“For me beach volleyball is definitely the harder of the two and, while it probably won’t be a permanent switch as indoor is definitely my game, I want to give it a good go this season and see what happens and build on a good few months.”

Dalrymple received a boost towards his goal after being reselected for a fourth year on the Lloyds TSB Local Heroes initiative at the launch in Loughborough last week.

As part of the initiative he will receive a cash injection of £1,000 towards training and competing and is one of only 128 youngsters selected from across England and Wales.

And Dalrymple added: “This is my fourth year on the programme and it has definitely helped me a lot.

“You learn something a little bit different every time, you meet lots of new people from different sports and it has been really good to be a part of it.

“Especially with volleyball where we are going through some funding issues, it is great to have that support when my sport can’t do that for me.”

Lloyds TSB Local Heroes, in partnership with SportsAid, has supported 1,000 of Britain’s most talented developing athletes. As part of Lloyds TSB’s commitment to helping future sports stars prosper, the programme will continue in 2013. Follow future stars at facebook.com/lloydstsblocalheroes