Sports coaching in Bristol is a competitive market. There are several companies that offer PPA cover, CPD, PE lessons, after-school sports clubs, holiday camps and community sports sessions. So why would anyone give up their secure job as a primary school teacher and PE lead to risk building a sports coaching company in Bristol relatively from scratch?
Why leave teaching?
Teaching in a primary school is an amazing job. It’s rewarding, interesting and fun. But there is a teacher retention crisis at the moment. Teachers are leaving in their thousands and many more are going on strike at the time of writing. Not that I wanted to be a part of that alarming statistic, but I can understand why teachers aren’t happy. For me personally, it was simply a case of wanting to follow my true passion: sports coaching. I was a sports coach before I came in to teaching. At that time, I found little opportunity to progress, and that’s why I trained as a teacher. But I never lost that passion for sport. Giving children the chance to have fun and be active is something that means so much to me. In a world where screen time is on the rise, children should be active, just as I was when I was a child.
Why become a partner in a sports coaching business?
My mindset changed on 2nd June 2022. I remember the date so vividly because it was the day my daughter was born. When Melissa came into my life I knew I had to be the best father for her, and that meant firstly making sure I was happy so that I can work on making her happy. I want to raise her to follow her dreams. How could I raise a child to believe that if I wasn’t doing it myself? So I knew I had to get back into sports coaching and find a company that was right for me.
Why uSports?
I couldn’t leave my secure job without doing my research first, especially with a young family to provide for. But when I came across uSports I knew it was the company for me. uSports is all about “Putting You First.” This philosophy matched my own philosophy so closely that I knew it was a perfect match. As a primary school teacher and PE lead across two schools in the Bristol area for almost 6 years, I had built up enough knowledge and enough contacts to make it work. All I needed was a company that would mentor me when it came to the marketing and sales side of the job. I had no doubt that uSports would give me that support.
What’s next?
Now that I’m in a job that I know I will truly enjoy, the hard work and graft can begin. I want to show nurseries, schools and communities across Bristol that uSports can provide what they are looking for in terms of PE and sports clubs. I am so excited to see where I can take the company, and where the company can take me.