Emily Goddard
Chris GregoryMy route to becoming an elite beach volleyball player was perhaps not the most orthodox one.

In 2008, I applied for UK Sport's "Sporting Giants" talent identification programme.

The programme asks for potential athletes to make themselves known providing they fulfil the basic criteria of being tall (a minimum of 6 foot 3 inches for men and 5 foot 11 for women) and young (between 16 and 25) and with some sort of athletic background.

I was 17 when I applied and I had played tennis at school level, while the fact that I am 6 foot 10 inches helped me easily meet the "giant" criteria.

After a series of difficult and demanding testing phases, I was selected to become part of the GB beach volleyball programme and made I my debut at the Under 21 World Championships in 2009 before competing at the World Cup in 2011.

John Garcia-Thompson and Steve Grotowski represented the home team at London 2012John Garcia-Thompson and Steve Grotowski represented the home side at London 2012

I just missed out on competing at the London 2012 Olympics as John Garcia-Thompson and Steve Grotowski were the sole pairing selected for Team GB but it was great to cheer them on at Horse Guards Parade and the experience inspired me even more in my goal to make it to Rio 2016.

One of my jobs now is to help further spread that message of inspiration from the Olympic and Paralympic Games as one of Sport England's Sporting Champions.

One of my key roles as a Sporting Champion involves supporting Sportivate projects across the country.

Sportivate itself is the £56 million ($85 million/€65 million) National Lottery funded Olympic and Paralympic legacy initiative that gives 14 to 25-year-olds who aren't particularly sporty six to eight weeks' free coaching in a new sport and then helps them find low costs ways to continue to play.

The next project for me is an exciting Sportivate Beach Volleyball one in Redbridge in East London, just a stone's throw away from the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford.

Chris GregoryqChris Gregory is one of Sport England's Sporting Champions

It will take place the fantastic new beach volleyball courts in Loxford Park, which thanks to London 2012, now have over 840 tonnes of the very sand used at Olympic Games beach volleyball competition at Horse Guards Parade.

I'm hopeful that by using the Olympic and Paralympic stardust that remains from London 2012, I can inspire all the young people in attendance to take up the sport on a permanent basis and continue to inspire even more people to take it up long-term.

I may be bias, but I thought the magnificent London 2012 beach volleyball tournament was one of the show stealers of the Olympic Games with that stunning temporary venue at the iconic Horse Guards Parade helping it take the spotlight.

That superb competition and all the other great sport at London 2012 was very much designed to inspire a generation.

Now almost a year on from the Games, it is the time to keep working as hard as ever to continue to inspire that generation.

Chris Gregory is a beach volleyball player who joined the Great Britain programme after coming through the UK Sport talent identification scheme Sporting Giants. The 6 foot 10 inch athlete is now aiming to represent Team GB at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. He is also one of Sport England's Sporting Champions, which you can find out more about here.