TOP TEAM
Board profiles SPORT ENGLAND
We talk to six of Sport England’s new and existing board members to find out how their diverse set of skills and experience from across the sectors and communities can help to make grassroots sport a success
A
ccording to Sport England chair Richard Lewis there’s never been a more important time to lead grassroots sport.
“It’s an exciting time for sport and Sport England,” he says. “With London 2012 fast approaching, its Places People Play mass-participation legacy plans are moving from the page to the play- ing field and national governing bodies (NGBs) are working to deliver their whole sport plans.”
Six months ago, Sport England’s
already experienced board was strengthened by the appointment of six new members. Armed with a di- verse set of skills and experience, the 12-strong board provides an extra level of governance, helps to set direction and offers support and advice to the organisation’s executive team to deliver for, and support, grassroots sport. “We have a strong team here at Sport England and we’re using our
statutory roles and influence to look after sport’s interests – investing more than £200m a year in the best possible way to bring grassroots sporting opportunities to every community,” Lewis explains. “Whether you have the talent and drive to get to the top or just want to enjoy taking part, we’re determined that everybody will have the chance to be part of the mass par- ticipation legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
H
aving led the England Women’s cricket team to its first Ashes win in 42 years, Clare is now head of England Women’s Cricket at the England and
Wales Cricket Board (ECB), non-executive director of Sussex CCC and was appointed to the International Cricket Council Cricket Committee as its first female member. “I hope to contribute to the goals of the Sport England
Board through my personal experiences within sport: as a teacher, coach and player who’s played at each stage of the pathway. This appointment is my chance to give back. “When I played cricket for England, I was a beneficiary of
Sport England Lottery funding so I understand the power of funding NGBs and their athletes. Now, as head of women’s cricket at the ECB, I understand the crucial role that NGBs play in growing sport from the grassroots up – whether it’s growing the number of participants and coaches, improving facilities or providing competitive opportunities. “Women’s team sport in this country is doing amazingly
well at the top level. We’re ranked in the top four in the world in hockey, rugby, cricket and netball and we’re as good as we’ve ever been on the football pitch. These sports are being proactive about the future and through a quar- terly forum, are getting together to share good practice and solutions to common problems.
“In terms of women getting involved and sticking to team
sport, we have significant cultural barriers to break down and that won’t happen overnight. We have to look at how women’s team sports are portrayed and coached in schools from a young age and how it’s portrayed in the media. There are so few column inches and airtime dedicated to women’s team sport and unless that changes, girls’ role models will never be from the world of sport. “It’s imperative that more women move into coaching and volunteering roles within their chosen sport so that girls grow up expecting to see women in those positions. Sports also have a part to play in terms of offering development and advice for their athletes so that they have pathways to stay within sport once they step down from playing at the top level. “One of the common themes coming out of the projects Sport England is funding through our Active Women programme is leadership. Several of the schemes are increasing sustainability by training up women as coaches and leaders. This should have a long-term effect on the participation of those women – and the people they in- spire to play sport.”
CLAIRE CONNOR OBE 26 Read Sports Management online
sportsmanagement.co.uk/digital Issue 1 2011 © cybertrek 2011
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