Free yourself from improving athletes at the expense of yourself!

Find your personal freedom within sport or create your own exit strategy to stop living to work and start living your life.

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The Men Behind Sport Mission

Men Behind Sport specifically helps senior performance support staff who are driven to make an impact in high-performance sport yet feel lost with direction, stuck and pigeonholed by their identity in sport, and/or burnt out from improving their athletes at the expense of themselves.

The Practitioner Needs Analysis allows you to identify what qualities are most important for you to show up in your role, career and life in your fullest expression.

It provides an inner analysis that highlights the components of your life, giving you clarity on what is blocking you, how it's blocking you and what you need to do to release those blocks.

This guides you to tailor your goals and actions away from potential burnout, divorce or illness, and instead towards one where you thrive as a practitioner and in your home life.

You Are Not Your Job

Specific focus on your personal growth & development as a man away from your role in sport, that parallels the focus you put into your athlete's development

Work:Life Harmony

The skills to create the ideal work:life harmony for you and the people that matter to you

Deep Clarity

Discover clarity and peace away from the constant need to keep doing and achieving to live your life for yourself

 

 

Men Behind Sport has supported performance staff from organisations including...

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My Why

 

Hi, I'm Richard, the experience of giving end-of-life care to my mother allowed me to truly see what was important to me, and has now inspired me to provide the support I didn't have as a performance coach.

 

This is my why for founding men behind sport.

 

More About Me

The Crisis in Performance Support Staff

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My Research within performance support staff

The men I have interviewed (>150) inhabit roles including physiotherapists, nutritionists, data analysts, physiologists, performance coaches, sports scientists, performance directors, sports coaches, head of performance, head coaches, and head of academic programs.

I've learned how highly successful men that have achieved a great deal within high-performance sport and academia are quietly suffering to maintain the perception of being successful and happy.

I am in no doubt - Coaches need coaches!

Athletes have a vast array of options within their support network, but there is very little currently aimed at offering this unique support for senior performance staff.

men behind sport fills that gap

Many performance support staff have been following a path that has been defined by the perception of what other people think or by their own lack of self-worth and compassion.

There are three common reasons I see why men are quietly suffering: 

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Real quotes. Real problems performance support staff are experiencing.

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What performance support staff have to say about working with me:

 

"The more I delve into this topic, the more I see real life examples not only with me but other people in the sport sector. It's the pink elephant in the room that no one is talking about. But as soon as someone brings it up it's immediately aware how important this subject is."

"The course itself is good, but what makes it great is how it's delivered. You need someone who cares and who truly is passionate about the subject and Richard does that. I like also how he pushes me out of my comfort zones and delve into topics that I dont normally get into. It's these moments that really helped me move forward."

"What I am seeing now after going through the Practitioner Needs Analysis is how it has impacted my coaching. I didnt take the course to become a better coach, it was to find myself, but in doing so there have been so many positive aspects on my coaching style and how I work with my athletes and fellow staff. Finding and understanding yourself feels almost selfish at the beginning, but in the end it's the most unselfish thing you can do as everyone around you benefits.The blueprint is exactly that, a blueprint. The plan is in place now and I need to continue doing the work. I look forward to continuing my journey with Richard and Men Behind Sport."

Paul Marks

(Head Coach Snowboard Race Team, Snowboard Germany)

 

"There are people you meet in life and there are people you meet in life for a reason. Richard is the latter. We crossed paths a couple of years ago but I wasn't ready for what Richard had to offer to be honest. But last year I was ready and needed help and Richard was my go to man. Richard walked with me for the last quarter of last year and I will always be grateful.

Richard is unique especially in sport. You have to be prepared to 'let go'  to the process though to maximise the benefit of working with him.

As a result of our work together I now have a better understanding of who I am having literally done some soul searching. Align this with a better understanding of my purpose and my values and the end result is Ian Braid 2024 - At peace because the dissonance in my mind has gone. I am up for whatever is my destiny, free from my mistakes of the past and have let go of being in control. I am the best version of me and know I will continue to grow. Thank you my friend."

Ian Braid

(MD, DOCIA Sport)

 

"I can't believe I doubted signing up to start with because it has had a massive positive effect on my professional and personal lifeMore people need to know about this. I wish someone had told me earlier."

Dan Cluett

(Head of Medical, Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC)

 

"One of the stand out aspects to this was the organic nature of it. Richard seemed to tailor things to what I needed for the day. He never felt rushed to end a session or stay on a thought... I felt he truly wanted to help me. I've been scattered for too long and now I have a better point to help myself. "

Vaughn Arthur

(MAG Gymnastics Coach, Team Canada)

 

"Despite having a generally good working life, I had still experienced two burnouts. I also regularly see the same stress & fight within my colleagues that I used to live before, just to maintain the expectations and pressure I put on myself.

I started working with Richard to make sure I had a right balance between life and work, with special reference on the role of my values and purpose of life in the context of my job.

I was impressed how deeply we went in terms of destroying myths and false beliefs I had, which led to many profound insights.

I really enjoyed the calls with Richard, and above all he is a very good at listener and offers great reflections that I couldn't see before.

If you work in high-performance and you are struggling to find a work life balance, I highly recommend you contact Richard.

Looking forward to what's next which will be a more conscious stage of my life and career."

Vincenzo Rago

(Sport Scientist, S&C Coordinator, Al Ain FC)

 

 

"Working with Richard has helped me to have a clear idea of navigating through difficult situations, busy moments, busy periods of my life, and having the discipline to take care of myself.

Richard and the group made me realize that many people in our industry face the same difficulties and there are ways to get out of that and do things in a healthier and more positive way.

An unexpected result has been my ability to connect to my inner self that I didn't go into this program thinking about. It’s been very positive because it makes me understand that the more I'm connected with what I feel, the more I can present and show myself to the world in a more positive authentic way.

To anyone that is considering this program, reach out, reach out, reach out! Richard has been amazing and the group is a safe space to talk about everything."

Federico Pizzuto

(Director of Performance, Columbus Crew)

 

"I have to say I've taken a huge amount from this program. It came at a really important time for me in my personal development. The program helped me really assess how I want to take the next steps in my life. The incredible framework gave me clarity on my own personal journey, I really enjoyed this program."

Rhys Ingram

(Senior Strength & Conditioning Coach, British Cycling/EIS)

 

"Rich is a subject matter expert, who added a different slant to my personal problems. He helped me to find solutions to the issues that I was struggling with. The skills and tools that I’ve learned on this course have really, really been beneficial to me, almost instantaneously. It's been one of the most impactful investments I’ve ever made."

Josh Fletcher

(Senior Consultant Performance Coach)

 

"It struck me how lost I was in terms of working in performance sport. The more I’ve been involved with Rich, the clearer I've become with what I want, why I’m not feeling happy with what I’m doing, where I want to be heading and how to start putting change in place."

Rob Francis

(Senior Performance Coach & Founder Movement Mojo)

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What is The Practitioner Needs Analysis?

 

The Practitioner Needs Analysis is a coaching program like no other available for support staff.

This process guides you to identify what qualities are most important for you to show up in your role, career and life in your fullest expression.

It provides an inner analysis that highlights the components of your life, giving you clarity on what is blocking you, how it's blocking you and what you need to do to release those blocks.

This guides you to tailor your goals and actions away from potential burnout, divorce or illness, and instead towards one where you thrive as a practitioner and in your home life.

The options available to you include 1-1 coaching with Richard and group coaching led by Richard with a group of peers - all you need to do is choose what format suits YOU.

This process will help you reconnect with your authentic voice and soften the grip your coaching identity has on your life so that you can become more present, stop living to work and to enjoy life outside of sport.

This program is not soley aimed at ‘teaching’ you something. Rather, it’s about opening your eyes to something you may not have been aware of, with the tools to apply this knowledge in a way that serves you.

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Group Coaching Includes?

Weekly LIVE sessions for the first 8 weeks:

Module 1 - Awareness of Self

You'll be guided into clarity on the 4 character traits that define how you show up, how they limit you, in what situations they limit you, and to develop the skills to move out of problems, into creating the outcomes you want in life.

Module 2 - Regulation of Self

 You'll be guided into clarity on how your body contributes to your decisions, giving you the ability to oberve your mind & witness your emotions so you can move out of reaction into response.

Module 3 - Thinking and Self

You'll have clarity to see where your assumptions contribute to false beliefs, to see your blind spots allowing you to turn challenging conversations into positive outcomes.

 Module 4 - Defining Your Beliefs

You'll be supported to get clarity on the values that matter most to you, and what identities you uphold & defend that create a discrepancy between your values and your lived experience.

Module 5 - Clearing Your Blocks

You'll learn how to let go of guilt that holds you back, and be taken through a powerful reflective practice to get clarity on what is blocking you, how it's blocking you and what you need to do to release those blocks - leaving you free to make the choices you want.

 Module 6 - Defining Your Boundaries

 You'll learn where you're out of balance to then define what commitments you need to let go of. You'll learn the powerful and effective formula for saying no positively, without burning bridges.

Module 7 - Finding Your Freedom

You'll be guided to get clarity on the 3 cornerstones underpinning your purpose, clarity on the 6 pillars of your vision, and clarity on the 4 areas contributing to your fulfillment & happiness.

Module 8 - Finding Your Work:Life Harmony

You'll be guided to get clarity on your fears and hopes, giving you the ability to see warning signs before it impacts your life with clear action steps to satisfy the areas you are balancing in your life. 

 

Integration

After the initial 8 weeks, we move to monthly integration calls for as long as you need them.

These sessions are where we meet to refine how best to integrate the lessons, unstick the sticking points and hone your very personal application of these principles.

  • Turn up with a specific problem you need support with
  • Turn up and just listen to your peers

If you want to cover something specifically for you, you'll be invited to submit a question before the session, and define which phase and lesson of the program you're in, and in which module your question arises.

This provides a powerful sounding board to talk through stages of your growth.

📒 Download Practitioner Needs Analysis Overview

 

Join the Upcoming Group Practitioner Needs Analysis Coaching Program?

Begins on Wednesday 6th March 2024

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Do you prefer 1-to-1 coaching?

 

Find Your Personal Freedom

A deep journey of self-awareness

Discover your internal drivers

Get clarity on your purpose & vision

Define a clear vision of how you want your career in sport to be moving forwards

Get clear with & define your exit strategy from sport

Uncover your key skills & attributes that transfer into other areas of work

Get clarity on the values that matter most to you, and what identities you uphold & defend that creates a discrepancy between your values & your lived experience

Clarity on what is blocking you, how it's blocking you and what you need to do to release those blocks - leaving you free to make the choices you want

 

 


 

What's Included

A journey through the tried & tested process

Flexible to your individual needs 

Each session runs 90-120 minutes with flexibility based on the value being offered rather than the time

Access to the online platform with resources

Access to coaching network

Follow-ups/action planning

Accountability support (always available by email/WhatsApp)

This process is based on transformation rather than time, therefore each person will have a unique journey.

 

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Frequently Asked Questions

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