Listen to a Double Olympian who started competing late in her career, has not always worked in sport and now holds several influential positions within sport. Sara shares a real insight into the brutal nature of her sport and even describes it as a game of ‘poker’. Knowing yourself, chronic fatigue, transitioning jobs, taking opportunities, positivity, transferable skills and team dynamics are just a few of the many areas we touched on.
Sara became Performance Director at England Netball five years ago & recently led the England Roses to a historic gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Other career junctures include a six year stint as Performance Director at Archery GB, three years at UK Sport as a Performance Advisor, two years as a Business Manager in the City & three years as a police officer working in Nottingham inner city. Presently she is Vice Chair of the UK Sport Performance Director Strategic Group (PDSG) & a Non Exec Director (NED) on the British Amateur Boxing Association (BABA) & SkateBoarding GB Boards. Her education includes a B.Sc in Sports Science & Social Science & a M.Sc in Sport Science (physiology bias).
Most notable sporting achievements include representing GBR at both triathlon & cycling – the latter involved two Olympic Games & two Commonwealth Games in road cycling, & multiple world championships (road & track). Sara was the first female to podium at World Cup level for GBR in 1998 & continues to challenge herself outside work (when time allows!) in endurance based sports ranging from half ironman’s to adventure races & individualised coaching.
Other interests include developing herself as a mentor/executive coach with an ambition longer term to formalise her passion for developing people’. She currently works with coaches within the Premier League, ECB & UK Sport World Class program
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For show notes and past guests, please visit www.sportstories247.com
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Show Notes:
Success Quote or saying:
‘Can do….!’
‘Get the basics right’
Quick fire questions:
The books that you would recommend are?
Time to Think: Listen to Ignite the Human Mind by Nancy Kline Sevens Heaven: The Beautiful Chaos of Fiji’s Olympic Dream: WINNER OF THE TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance By Atul Gawande
Redemption: From Iron Bars to Ironman by John McAvoyWhat is the most useful and or valuable Technology you use (apps, equipment etc…)?
Embraced teams and zoom and value my phone as it has everything in one place
How do you relax and re energise yourself to enable you to perform at your best?
Prepare!!! Also, self-talk (I can, I will, I do) to self-assure and breathing technique
If you won the lottery…
Pay off the mortgage, donate to charity and continue to work
In one sentence – What advice would you give to your teenage version of yourself?
Keep up your education and get as much work experience as you possibly can
Who has made a big impact on you?
· Nick Lee - My early school PE Teacher
· Mick Thorneywell (An inspector I worked with in the police)
· John Herrity (Cycling Team Manger)
· Peter Keen (Coached me !)
Whos’ Sport Story would you be really interested in hearing?
· Serena Williams
· Lance Armstrong
Coaching questions I would like to pose:
1
What self-talk do you have that does not help you and what can you change it to so that it becomes more helpful and effective?
2
What opportunities are you not taking and why?
Contact info:
@ssymington
sarasymington
sara symington
Danielle Brown MBE - 2x Paralympic Gold Medallist, 1st Para athlete to represent England in able-bodied, Speaker, Children’s Author
Christophe Ridley - Professional Rugby Union Referee and Performance Leadership Coach
Sarah Green – Performance Coach Developer and Football Coach
Sam Parfitt – CEO/Founder of the True Athlete Project and former Tennis Player
Will Jefferson - Founder of Performance Catalyst Ltd and Former 1st Class Cricketer
Eboni Usoro-Brown (Nee Beckford-Chambers) - England and TeamBath netballer, solicitor, wife and mum
Karen Brown MBE – Former 3x Olympic Hockey Player and 3x Olympic Hockey Coach now Coach Developer
Lou Englefield – Director of Pride Sports UK, Campaign Director of Football v Homophobia, Fare Network board member & sports activist.
Kevin Nicholson - Head of Coaching at Exeter City Football Club and former professional footballer
Lucy Moore - Head of Professional Workforce at Sport England, Trustee at Activity Alliance, PhD student with The Open University.
Steve McCormack - Head of Welfare at Rugby League Cares and former Head coach of the Scotland Rugby League team
Dr Cath Bishop – Author of The Long Win, business coach, medal winning Olympic rower and former diplomat
Kevin Sinfield MBE – Director of Rugby at Leeds Rhinos and marathon fundraiser for MND Association.
Chris Ratcliffe - CEO Boccia England and previously represented GB in the 1985 Deaflympics (Water Polo) and Wales Deaf Rugby
John Blain – Former Yorkshire, Northamptonshire & Scotland Cricketer and now Director of Cricket at The Grange C.C. in Edinburgh.
Prof. Damian Hughes – Co-host High Performance Podcast, international speaker and best-selling author
Sport Stories Podcast: Review of the first 30 episodes
Greg Baker – Head Coach British Para Table Tennis, Performance Mentor and Executive Coach
Emma Brunning - Head Triathlon Coach, People Developer and Founder of Activblu
Jen Lace – Head of Sports Psychology and Personal Development at Nottingham Forest Football Academy previously at Burnley FC.
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