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23 Sep 2019 3,411

Top women coaches selected for high-performance programme

UK Coaching is pleased to welcome another cohort of talent coaches onto its 2019-2020 Women into High Performance programme.

15 coaches across 8 sports were identified by their respective governing bodies of sport as being eligible to apply for the signature programme, which supports female coaches who have the potential to transition into high performance coaching.

They are:

  • Deirdre Elmhirst - Worcester High Jump Coach
  • Kelly Bramhald - Loughborough University Javelin and Physical Preparation Coach 
  • Abbie Taylor - British Cycling Go-Ride Coach - Schools, Clubs and Regional School of Racing
  • Lydia Walker - British Cycling Go-Ride Coach - Schools, Clubs and Regional School of Racing
  • Jen Herst - England U17s Goalkeeping Coach and Liverpool FC First Team Goalkeeping Coach
  • Lauren Phillips - England U17s Assistant Coach
  • Kate Lawton - Stoke Trampoline and Gymnastics Club Joint Head Coach and GB Development Programme Coach 
  • Olivia Bryl - Welsh Gymnastics Women’s Artistic National Junior Coach
     
  • Kelly Pryde-Fillingham - Scotland U16 Girls' Head Coach and Alderley Edge Ladies' Head Coach (England National League)
     
  • Amy Turner - RFU Professional Pathway Officer (Women) and Women’s Performance Pathway Coach (leading U20s and supporting U18s programmes)
  • Rochelle Clarke - Saracens Women’s Forwards and Skills Coach (Tyrells Premiership 15 and Development League), Head of Diploma in Sporting Excellence and Bucks County Women's Head Coach
  • Georgina Roberts - Regional Hub for South West Talent Pathway Coach
  • Zoe Chasemore - Troops to Target Coach
     
  • Lisa Bates - Chelsea and Westminster Swimming Club Director of Swimming (Potential Performance Environment)
  • Zoe Baker - Winchester Penguins Swimming Club Head Coach (Potential Performance Environment)
     

The cohort will now come together for a total of four seminars – starting 7 October – to develop their skills, behaviours and knowledge to thrive and flourish within the high-performance environment.

At these seminars, the coaches will specifically engage in facilitated peer coaching, including ‘buddying up’ with coaches from other sports and larger group work. These elements will enable them to share practice, reflect on experiences, develop a greater understanding of their issues and challenges, and identify strategies and tactics to overcome them. This will also enable them to deepen their network, consider other sports’ coaching practices, and further develop their awareness of others’ modus operandi.

Several learning paths have also been incorporated into this year’s schedule, drawing on best practice and learning from previous iterations of the programme. Additionally, it has been lengthened to 14 months so that coaches can gain first-hand experience of high-performance coaching.

UK Coaching’s Development Lead Officer for Talent and Performance Chris Chapman, said:

We are really pleased to welcome a new cohort of coaches on the programme. The quality of applications from governing bodies of sport has risen once again, and the addition of gymnastics as a new sport to the Women into High Performance family will further add to the cross-sport learning and sharing opportunities for the coaches.

“We believe that a diverse coaching workforce further enhances athletes’ experiences and we look forward to working with this talented group of coaches as they transition into high-performance coaching.”

British Shooting’s Talent Pathway Coach Georgina Roberts, said:

It’s a real honour to be selected for the programme. It’s such an influential course for empowering female coaches and enabling us to fulfil our coaching potential.

“This journey will present a big learning curve for me, and I can’t wait to meet other coaches and gain access to other high-performance sporting environments. I've always been passionate about sport and participation, so I’m really looking forward to developing myself as a coach and being able to share my knowledge and expertise with athletes.”

This will be the sixth year that UK Coaching has delivered the programme, working with governing bodies of sport to better support female coaches into high-performance coaching.

Want to find out more about the Women into High Performance programme? Listen to the experiences of its alumni