“Sport has literally changed my life. I’m here because of sport. It has given me a lot of confidence, a lot of courage, and a lot of discipline.” – Serena Williams
Hi, I’m Andy. I live in Oxfordshire with my wife and 2 children. I’m driven by helping people to perform at their best.
Sport has played a huge role in my life, from giving me a source of confidence as a child, to providing a career for 20 years and inspiring me to found a global charity which uses sport for good. I’ve experienced personally all that sport can offer and had the privilege of seeing its impact around the world. And I’ve had the privilege of meeting and working with individuals and teams from every corner of the world.
Growing up I played any sport going. Football, cricket, rugby, tennis, golf, squash – whatever was available to me. I was competent at most things, but cricket always stood out. I played county age group cricket from U13’s and was invited to regional England training sessions. I was always told that I had talent, great ‘potential’ and if I only believed in myself, concentrated harder and made the most of that potential I could go far. But no-one ever helped me to understand how I could do that. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to believe in myself, concentrate harder and make the most of my potential, I just didn’t know how. I was told how to improve my technique, how to be more tactically astute, how to improve physically. But nothing about how to improve mentally or psychologically. I went on to play for English Universities, played a good level of club cricket and dabbled in Minor counties cricket. And I always wondered if I was better mentally whether I could have gone further.
This led me to a deep interest in psychology and performance and a desire to help others perform at their best.
I have a degree in psychology and a masters in sports psychology and am a British Psychological Society accredited psychologist, focused on performance. I was lucky enough to work in sport for 20 years, working for local authorities, national governing bodies, professional clubs, county associations and ultimately having 10 years in a senior leadership role in an international sporting federation. Alongside this I set up Cricket Without Boundaries, a charity which has supported over half a million young people around the world. Seeing young people, in particular those with so little in life, learn, be inspired and grow through sport has always been given me so much inspiration. Experiencing the joy that can be created by 300 children hitting and throwing a few balls around provides the perspective I often need when I step away my day to day life.
‘Andy is an exceptional consultant. He has an outstanding ability to listen and absorb a wide variety of perspectives, identify key strategic decisions to be made and conceptualise a way forward. His rare combination of excellent people skills and a strategic mindset enable him to make a difference to those he works with’
– Tim, International Sport Strategic Change Consultant
Throughout my career it has always been clear to me that it was the quality of the people that determined the scale of positive impact that sport was having. Products, programmes, strategies and governance all matter and make a difference, but without outstanding people – leaders – they aren’t enough. And ‘leading’ doesn’t just mean those at the top of an organisation, people ‘lead’ at all levels. The best products, programmes and events will not have a positive impact unless they are well led, well managed and well delivered.
And whilst I like to think I have been successful in my career, learning how to continually improve hasn’t always been easy. I have learnt from those around me, from my mistakes and from my experiences. But the best learning I have had is when I have been given the time and space to pause, reflect and be supported and challenged by someone independent. This has led me to become an accredited Leadership Coach, driven by the knowledge that sport can have an even greater impact if we can better support those involved.
And so, my mission now is to increase the positive impact of sport on the world by helping individuals and organisations lead like they have never led before.
Leadership Coach (European Mentoring and Coaching Council Accredited)
Performance Psychologist (British Psychological Society Accredited)
I am a member of EMCC and abide by the Global Code of Ethics
