A teenager has been selected to play for Team England volleyball – just two years after he first tried his hand at the sport.

Maxime Carolan, from Gravesend, was on holiday in France when a friend of his mum, an ex-Olympian, invited him to join a game.

Maxime Carolan talks of his pride at being selected for Team England

The 14-year-old said it was "massive" for him as he never saw himself as the "athletic or sporty kid" at school.

"I had played sports before but never really clicked with them," Maxime said. "It is the game I found a love for. With volleyball I thought I had found the sport for me."

When he returned home, he asked his mum Sophie Henry to find him a team and started training at Dartford Volleyball Club in Heath Lane.

After a few months, Maxime was spotted by coach Florence Gand who had seen good progress and invited the young player to represent the South East in a regional competition.

"I played in a tournament in Cardiff," he explained. "It was the first time I had played to that high level and it was my first competition.

"I came with the least expectations. The feeling I get from playing at that level, I had not felt before."

Maxime, of Meopham, then started training almost every day before he received an email on August 8 last year asking him to trial for Team England's under 17s cadet squad.

The practice was not until October where only 20 people would be chosen out of 120.

The Gravesend Grammar School student said: "I was not expecting to get in – I was going for the experience.

"It was quite surreal. I was really excited and played the best I had ever done.

Maxime was in the bathroom when he heard his mum yelp with excitement. He adds: "I just felt relieved that I had got in because of the amount of work I put into the trials.

"I was just overwhelmed and really excited to get started. It was massive for me."

The teen says he was never particularly athletic or sporty kid at school and so being selected play for England has meant a lot.

"Getting in was a really big thing for me," he added. "I really want to take volleyball with me to unlock doors and make opportunities for me in the future."

Maxime plays both indoor and beach volleyball although the two are very different. Apart from the obvious, indoor is played with six players and reserves who represent a team.

For beach there are only two people and they do not play for a set club. Mum Sophie, 49, explained it is like freelance work in which the players choose who they play for and are coached by.

"It is unheard of to do this so young. I am so proud of him and so lucky to have him as a son."

Maxime has been chosen for the indoor squad at Team England where there are around 20 to 30 members, of which 11 who are picked on the day. He plays in the middle blocker position meaning he stops attacks from the other team.

Since picking up the sport two years ago, Maxime has played and won gold in regional competitions and travels almost 400 miles a week to play.

Mum Sophie, a muscle therapist, said: "It is unheard of to do this so young. I am so proud of him and so lucky to have him as a son.

"We were overwhelmed. When people started to realise what was happening to Maxime, we had so much support from the village."

His secondary school has also been a big supporter of his, in particular head teacher Mr Malcom Moaby and basketball academy coach Mr Tong who have helped him progress and balance sport with education.

Maxime has now been told he will be on the England squad next season too for indoor volleyball and hopes to make the cut for the Paris Olympics 2024.

But as the sport is self-funded he is trying to raise money to help him fund the trips needed.

Maxime has set up his own business Arollatheraphy, selling essential oil blends that roll on, to try to make some extra cash and has also been sponsored by local businesses. He is also now arranging a black-tie event at Cobham Hall on October 29.

The former Meopham Community Academy pupil is also raising money for charity Sport in Mind which uses the power of activity to transform lives and support people with mental health issues.

He added: "It means a lot to me. I have friends and family members who have suffered from mental health issues.

"I have struggled, not from mental health issues but I have been through a lot in my life. I lost my sister and was never the most popular one at school. Playing sport has really helped me.

"I want to give back to the community who have supported me."

You can follow Maxime's journey on his Instagram @maxim_vball or Facebook at Maximes Fundraiser Ball.