The Drive Phase Podcast

In this episode, James speaks to Shelley Meyern and Sue Wilkie, both from EMD UK.

EMD UK started life as EMDP (The Exercise Movement & Dance Partnership) back in 2006 and supports and promotes dance fitness organizations. Head of Operations & Projects, Shelley Meyern has over 20 years of experience in the sports development sector. She leads EMD UK’s operations, working on This Girl Can Classes; which aim to get women and girls into group fitness, and Classfinder, a database and search engine of group fitness nationwide. Sue Wilkie, Head of Instructor Support is the creator of Fitness sectors Return to Play Guidelines for Group Ex which ran during the Pandemic. Her work includes her consultancy work on This Girl Can classes and the Studio You programmes alongside her role as the Group Ex workforce lead for the UK.   In a nutshell, James and his guests will discuss:

• How Shelly and Sue's experience of sport in their childhoods shaped their careers
• How This Girl Can Classes are breaking barriers to help women and girls into fitness
• The types of metrics they use to track their progress as a membership organisation
• The challenges that digital transformation has brought to their industry
• The leadership strategies they use to run their teams and expand the organisation

...and so much more!

 

Connect with Shelly and Sue:

LinkedIn: Shelley Meyern MCIMSPA

                 Sue Wilkie MCIMSPA

 

Check out EMD UK:

Website: www.emduk.org  

LinkedIn: EMD UK

 

Connect with James:

Instagram: @james_ventures

Facebook: Coordinate Sports FB Page

LinkedIn: James Moore

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In this episode, James speaks to Sam Shave, the co-Managing Director of Think Beyond. Sam is a social impact and sustainability consultant who has been immersed in the business of sport throughout his career. Sam's effective and inquisitive approach has seen his experience and knowledge sought after by multiple organizations, from trustee to charitable organizations, or as a mentor. 

 

Think Beyond is a social impact and sustainability consultancy that supports leaders and organizations to make a positive impact on the world. They use sport to bridge the gap between organizations and communities, providing sustainable social change strategies that enhance business value.

 

In a nutshell, James and Sam speak about:

• Sam's early sporting  experience and his career in sports psychology
• Takeaways on how to showcase what your organization is doing on micro scales
• Why their organization is unique 
• His style and strategies of leading and staying on top amid challenges 
• The importance of openness about challenges in any organization 

… and so much more! 

 

Connect with Sam:

LinkedIn: Sam Shave

Twitter: @MrShave

Instagram:@sam_shave

 

Check out Think Beyond:

Website: https:/www.canyouthinkbeyond.com  

LinkedIn: Think Beyond 

 

Connect with James:

Instagram: @james_ventures

Facebook: Coordinate Sports FB Page

LinkedIn: James Moore

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In today's episode, James speaks to Barry Horne, the Chief Executive at Activity Alliance. Barry is a successful, values-driven, organizational leader with a passion for delivering real-world change through the power of sport and active recreation. His personal and professional life is built on his passion for social and political inclusion and change.

 

Activity Alliance is a national charity and the leading voice for disabled people in sports. The charity brings members, partners, and disabled people together, challenges perceptions, and changes the reality of the disabled. By championing fairness for disabled people in sport and activity, Activity Alliance works with so many amazing people and are at the center of influential, world-renowned programs. 

 

In a nutshell, James and Barry speak about:

• Barry's early career in the third sector, which included campaigns on low incomes and housing 
• How Activity Alliance transitioned into a strong national charity and the leading voice for disabled people in sports and activities
• How the charity secures significant funding

… and so much more! 

 

Connect with Barry:

LinkedIn: Barry Horne MBE

Twitter:@ActivityBarryH

 

Check out Activity Alliance:

Website:www.activityalliance.org.uk 

LinkedIn: Activity Alliance 

Twitter: @AllForActivity

 

Connect with James 

Instagram: @james_ventures

Facebook: Coordinate Sports FB Page

LinkedIn: James Moore

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In today's episode, James speaks to Heath Eslinger, the Director of Business Development at A Better Way Athletics. Heath is a dynamic leader and communicator who has been changing lives for over two decades. His passion for individuals, teams, and corporations to simply evaluate their present circumstances and do things “a better way” has become contagious. His experience as a successful Division I wrestling coach has given him a training ground to see what it really takes to get an organization to believe in a system, buy into a philosophy, and perform at a high level while most importantly impacting the deepest parts of all involved.

 

A Better Way Athletics is an innovative online education company that provides one-of-a-kind, innovative products to public and private school systems, clubs and academies, and large sports organizations that service youth through high school athletes and their families. The company brings its clients a full suite of online educational products and expertise that promotes and enhances parent engagement, fosters coach and leadership development, and enriches the athletic journey of the children that participate in organized sports while also creating critical risk management strategies for its clients.

 

James and Heath speak about:

• Heath's early life and how that shaped him for his current role
• Heath's first work experience in the coaching field for the UTC wrestling team
• What motivated Heath to start a business and some of the challenges he faced.
• How Heath learned from the bad decisions that had negative impacts on children he had seen or worked with 
• The human connection that’s required to make exercise science work in the world of coaching 
• How children's sport can be blighted by adult projections

... and so much more!

 

Connect with Heath:

 

Instagram: @abetterwayathletics

Twitter: @ABW_Athletics

Youtube: A Better Way Athletics

 

Connect with James: 

 

Instagram: @james_ventures

Facebook: Coordinate Sports FB Page

LinkedIn: James Moore

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In today's episode, James speaks to Helen Rowbotham, CEO of Access Sports and Non-Exec Director/Trustee at the British Paralympic Association. Helen is passionate about the power of sport and is committed to creating healthy, accessible and inclusive sporting opportunities with positive individual and societal impact. Common themes throughout her 23 years of sports sector experience are a focus on finding solutions to complex challenges, galvanizing diverse teams and stakeholders around common goals and delivering outcomes of the highest quality/ integrity.  

Access sport is a dynamic charity working to directly combat the high levels of exclusion, hardship, and poor health faced by millions of children in the UK. The charity also empowers the inspirational community volunteers who set up and run local sports clubs by contributing money, expert advice, and networking.

In a nutshell, James and Helen speak about:

• Helen's career in sports consultancy
• A reflection on the national and international projects she has worked on 
• How her skills and experiences play a huge role in leading Access Sports
• Her advice to younger Helen 

… and so much more! 

 

Connect with Helen:

LinkedIn: Helen Rowbotham 

Twitter:@helen_rowbotham

 

Check out Access Sports:

Website:https://www.accesssport.org.uk/

LinkedIn: Access Sports 

Instagram: @Access_sportsuk 

 

Connect with James 

Instagram: @james_ventures

Facebook: Coordinate Sports FB Page

LinkedIn: James Moore

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In today's episode, James speaks to Annie Vernon, an Olympic silver medalist and world champion rower. She is an award-winning author, corporate speaker, and freelance journalist. Annie is also the Communications and Marketing Manager of life after professional sport (LAPS), an organization that connects ex-athletes with support. Fascinated by how our emotions control our bodies, in 2019 Annie published Mind Games,  which won the Outstanding Sports Writing Award at the British Sports Book Awards 2020. 

 

In a nutshell, James and Annie talk about:

• Annie's journey in elite sports
• Annie's commitment and difficult juggling between sports and academics
• How she became a professional with just lottery funds
• The process behind researching and writing her award-winning book, Mind Games

…and so much more!

 

Connect with Annie:

LinkedIn: Annie Vernon OLY

Website: http://www.annievernon.co.uk/ 

Twitter: @annievernongb

 

Check out LAPS:

Website:https://www.laps.careers  

LinkedIn: LAPS: Life After Professional Sports

Instagram: @laps.careers

 

Connect with James 

Instagram: @james_ventures

Facebook: Coordinate Sports FB Page

LinkedIn: James Moore

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In today's episode, we have James Williams, the Chief Executive of Welsh athletics. James ensures the strategic objectives of Welsh Athletics are achieved, and his priorities are to ensure a solid financial governance base for the sport to operate and develop. James is also the main link with Sport Wales, UK Athletics, and The Four Home Country Athletics Associations. 

 

Welsh Athletics is a national governing body of athletics driving participation and elite success across stairs across Wales. They have over 12,500 athletes and more than 110 clubs. It also organizes the ADC (Athletics Development Centre) program: this program aims at giving all athletes and coaches the best possible foundations to realize their potential.

 

Tune in to learn more about:

• Williams' earliest sporting memory and how coming up from a sporty environment shaped him?
• Where he wanted to have a career whether in professional sport or the administration 
• The  perception and image problem on Athletics, that's it is behind other sports and the strategies they're taking to create awareness
• Their strong team and what they're doing to secure them from burnout
• What he is doing in terms of staying on top form physically and mentally 

…and so much more!

 

Connect with Williams:

Twitter:    @jwilliams150

LinkedIn: James Williams

 

Check out Welsh Athletics:

Website: https://www.welshathletics.org/ 

LinkedIn: WELSH ATHLETICS LIMITED

Twitter: @WelshAthletics

Instagram: @wetshathletics

 

Connect with James:

Instagram: @james_ventures

Facebook: Coordinate Sports FB Page

LinkedIn: James Moore

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In this episode, James speaks to Robbie Simpson, the founder and managing director of LAPS (Life After Professional Sport). LAPS is a career resource platform helping sports stars smoothly transition after their competition days come to an end. Robbie is a professional footballer who has played in the four divisions below the Premier League and graced stadiums such as Old Trafford, Wembley, and Anfield. Away from playing, Robbie is co-founder of a players’ agency and an active alumni of Loughborough University’s Sports Science & Maths degree.

 

LAPS is the ultimate careers resource platform offering advice, networking, and job opportunities for future, current, and former elite athletes. The player's agency can help you decide what career will suit you best after sport, give you support and advice, prepare your CV and interview technique, and put you directly in touch with employers specifically looking to recruit former sports professionals.

 

In a nutshell, Robbie and James talk about:

• Robbie's competitive childhood and schooling experience
• His experience in YTS
• The time Robbie's started to ponder about his life beyond football
• Their funding and business model and how it has grown over the years
• The kind of membership profile and numbers the agency is at
• What they are looking at three to five years from now
• Whom do the agency service, the wider public, or just x and x players
• The challenges he faces and his daily routine to stay on top form

…and so much more!

 

Connect with Simpson

LinkedIn: Robbie Simpson

Twitter: @RobbieSimmo

 

Check out LAPS

Website:https:// www.laps.careers 

LinkedIn: LAPS: Life After Professional Sports

Instagram: @laps.careers

 

Connect with James

Instagram: @james_ventures

Facebook: Coordinate Sports FB Page

LinkedIn: James Moore

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In this episode, James speaks to Ali Beckman, Puddle Ducks' Technical Director and Head Teacher. Ali is a qualified ASA, STA, and Birthlight teacher as well as an STA swimming, aquacise, and lifesaving tutor and examiner.     Puddle Ducks swimming program has been developed by leading experts in the baby and swimming industry. Ali is on a mission to give children the opportunity to access high-quality swimming lessons and become lifelong swimmers. As a competitive swimmer herself for Swinton ASC and Salford Triple S, she has always been passionate about swimming and its importance in all children’s lives. Whilst an injury at the age of 15 forced her to quit her competitive career, she has continued to grow and evolve at Puddle Ducks, taking her passion for swimming and building a stronger and more resilient franchised business.      In a nutshell, Ali and James talk about:

• Ali's sports experience as a child
• Her journey toward Puddle Ducks
• The challenges that accompanied Covid and how her business grew by 20%
• Infrastructure and workforce gaps she's working hard to address
• Their new baby swimming (and more) YouTube channel
• The numbers they've got in terms of franchises
• Her routines and habits keep her performance at the top level

…and so much more!     Connect with Beckman: LinkedIn: Ali Beckman MCIMSPA Twitter: @BabySwimExpert     Check out Puddle Ducks: Website: https://www.puddleducks.com YouTube: Puddle Ducks & Swim Academy Instagram: puddleduckshq Facebook: Puddle Ducks   Connect with James: Instagram: @james_ventures Facebook: Coordinate Sports FB Page LinkedIn: James Moore Coordinate Cloud: The Drive Phase Podcast

Part 7 of our wrap-up series brings together the best insights from our previous episodes and is a great way to jump in and sample the Drive Phase content.

 

We’ve taken the opportunity on this episode to reflect on those conversations and selected clips across 9 episodes to cover a range of key topics.

 

We also want to take the opportunity to thank all of our listeners for your support and ask that you subscribe and leave a review on Apple podcast or follow us on Spotify. 

 

Welcome to this week’s episode of The Drive Phase Podcast and part 7 of the Lessons From Leaders series.