The Sport System Strategy Team cover three areas of work: Foundations, Coaching and Pathway & Performance Strategy.
Foundations: Focusing on children aged 3 to 11 years old and the development of their skills, confidence, and motivation to enable them to enjoy physical activity and sport; giving them foundations to lead an active, healthy, and enriched life.
Coaching: Working cross-systems to ensure that coaching in Wales, from Community and Grassroots to Pathway & Performance, is valued, supported, and developed to meet the needs of all abilities, backgrounds, and aspirations.
Pathway & Performance Strategy: Supporting Performance Pathways in Wales through structures, systems, and strategies to provide opportunities, experiences, environments, and skills to those with a desire to improve and progress in sport.
Sarah Walters - Head of Sport System Strategy
Tell us about your role? As Head of Sport System Strategy I have the huge privilege of leading our work in the areas of foundations, coaching and pathway & performance strategy.
A good day at work requires these three things: Purpose, ideas and progress.
What’s something staff might not know about you? Outside of work, life is football, golf, skiing, cycling, gym. In no particular order.
Rob Davies - Pathway and Performance Strategy Lead
Tell us about your role? I support the pathway and performance systems across Welsh sport. Here I focus on how we can collaborate and support how we provide opportunities, experiences, environments, and skills that supports athletes to reach their potential in and out of sport.
A good day at work requires these three things: Good coffee, good food, and learning something and exploring how to do the impossible with others.
What’s something staff might not know about you? I'm heavily dyslexic and I get words mixed up a lot. As it's summer the current mix up is that I go and "hoover the grass". If you've been able to translate that, next time you see me let me know what you think it is!
Clare Roberts - Foundations and Participation Lead
Tell us about your role? My role focuses on working with the sport system to ensure policies, strategy and programmes focus on giving every child a great experience in physical activity and sport.
A good day at work requires these three things: Positive people, creative minds and passion to make a difference to children in Wales.
What’s something staff might not know about you? I have two boys, aged 15 and 12 who love every sport possible. So I spend most weekends being a sporting taxi to different events, and squeezing in a cheeky run where I can.
Matt Wenn - Coaching Lead
Tell us about your role? As a coaching team we work from foundations and participation, through to pathway and performance to ensure coaching and coaches in Wales are valued, supported and developed.
My work primarily focuses are on developing the coaching leadership within our partners, advocating for the modernisation of coach development and support, and that coaching in Wales has creditable voice at a UK level.
A good day at work requires these three things: Being amongst colleagues/friends, getting creative and socially constructing ideas, supporting people to learn and develop.
What’s something staff might not know about you? I'm a Kiwi, who lives in England, works in Wales and loves to yoyo!
De Angella - Performance Coach Development Lead
Tell us about your role? My role helps shape coaching strategy and coach development in Welsh Pathways. It's about connecting Sport Wales, NGB's, coach developers and pathway partners so that coaching support is joined up, practical and aligned to the needs of young people.
The aim is to build a coaching system where young people are understood as people first, experience high-quality relationships, feel safe and included, are appropriately challenged, and are supported to thrive, stay in sport and realise their sport ambitions.
My work primarily focuses are on developing the coaching leadership within our partners, advocating for the modernisation of coach development and support, and that coaching in Wales has creditable voice at a UK level.
A good day at work requires these three things: Collaborating with others to champion the value of coaching, turning ideas into practical support for coaches, and being energised by people who care deeply about making sport a great experience for everyone.
What’s something staff might not know about you? I'm learning Italian, and I'm on a 261-day Duolingo streak.
Simon Jones - Coaching Development Officer
Tell us about your role? My main focuses are:
- To use diverse networks to support and challenge the impact of coaching across a wide range of partners.
- Providing opportunities for partners to connect, network, and come together to build a culture of collaboration and sharing.
- To offer ongoing development opportunities for the Coach Development Workforce in Wales.
A good day at work requires these three things: Some form of humour (happy workers are good workers), curiosity - love it when people ask questions or I get the opportunity to ask questions, and positivity - no one likes a mood hoover.
What’s something staff might not know about you? Outside of work I coach my son's U8s Rugby and Football Teams. This helps me realise how hard it is to get 8 year olds to listen and then coach them. It's so much fun though.
