Continuing to reflect on my weekly school visits I am sharing specific examples of what the best Directors of Sport are doing in their schools. This blog focusses on Cultivating a High-Trust, High-Performance Environment: Practical Steps for Directors of Sport

Creating a thriving sports department doesn’t start with strategy or systems—it starts with culture. The most effective Directors of Sport (DoS) I’ve seen don’t just manage people; they inspire, empower, and cultivate an environment where trust and performance go hand in hand.

1. Build Psychological Safety

Psychological safety is the foundation of any high-performing team....

Whilst Sport may not be for All, its ability to connect people and generate a sense of purpose and belonging is more significant than ever in a society dominated by solitary activity. Functional conditioning - in gyms and elsewhere – may have spectacular health benefits, but can be a limited social experience. Read recent reflections on a gym visit.

I have just come home from a visit to the gym. Having spent the majority of my life training ‘for’ things: exercising to improve performance – in teams, in running events, for specific challenges – I now exert myself purely...

Blog Three

Continuing to reflect on my weekly school visits I am sharing specific examples of what the best Directors of Sport are doing in their schools. This third blog focusses on Navigating The Middle Crunch: Leading Up and Leading Within

The Middle Crunch is one of the most distinctive and demanding aspects of being a Director of Sport (DoS) in an Independent School. It refers to the often-unspoken pressure of leading from the middle – managing both upward and downward influence while remaining true to your vision for sport.

Exceptional Directors of Sport...