An independent perspective

Sporting People specialise in helping organisations develop the people who make sport and physical activity happen.
Sporting People are a newly-formed organisation, however, lead consultants Dan Thorp, Steve Mitchell and Rob Young have over 60 years’ experience across the sport and physical from advising national governing bodies through 3rd sector sport to learning and development.
Steve Mitchell

STEVE MITCHELL

Worked extensively with employers across the sport and physical activity landscape around all things people, skills, and learning and development. 10 years in the public sector and now 4 years into 3 successful new ventures where his clients include CEOs, Boards, NGBs, Commercial Businesses, Leisure Operators, CSPs and Educational Institutions. Gives back through a series of complementary yet diverse NED and voluntary roles including a CSP Board, an NGB chairmanship, advisory roles with Coach Core and Transcend Awarding.

Mitch has fantastic experience and knowledge across the sport and physical activity landscape. He is ideally placed to share best practice, identify new opportunities and help organisations get ahead of the game when it comes to developing their people.

Dan Thorp

DAN THORP

Tennis Coach for 30 years working with players at every level of the game; Coach Educator and course creator; LTA Head of Coach Development for 6 years; worked across sport on coaching frameworks, apprenticeships and mentoring; Head of a Chinese Academy; and has launched several successful business projects in sport.

His expertise is in coaching, coach education, coach and workforce development strategy, coach course and pathway design, coach support initiatives, and safe deployment issues.

Rob Young

ROB YOUNG

A proven track record working across the sport and physical activity sector. He has delivered projects for local government, performance sport, NGBs, major sporting events, the education sector, London 2012, Sport England, UK Sport, and Sport Leeds. Recently, Rob has completed a national review of Futsal and subsequently developed the first national Futsal Strategy on behalf of the FA. Rob is also a Board Member of Greater Sport and a member of CIMSPA.

Rob has experience of developing strategy, leading organisational change and delivering specific projects at a local, regional and national level. He brings strategic thinking and a level of rigour to projects that is crucial for successful implementation including experiences with I Will If You Will in Bury, local authority strategies in Leicester and Burnley, and the AoC Women’s Football Apprenticeship project.