Ben
Sports Development Manager (Clubs & Performance)
What's your role? What type of work do you cover?
I'm the Sports Development Manager (Clubs & Performance). I look after the highest risk sports clubs for development, manage the High Performance Programme, and support the team to deliver the big events like Welcome and Varsity.
What did you do before joining TeamUCL?
Worked for the International Tennis Federation as Head of Beach Tennis.
How was your experience of sport at University?
Best memories of university all come attached to sport - wins (and losses), Wednesday nights, and all my best friends (20 years on) are from university sport. Fun fact, as President of KCL Men's Rugby, I started the modern iteration of Varsity in 2003.
What's a hobby or activity you do outside of work?
Look after our 3-year old Pomeranian, Prada.
Sam
Sports Development Coordinator
What's your role? What type of work do you cover?
I’m the sports development coordinator…help me on this one because I actually don’t know how to explain it.
What did you do before joining TeamUCL?
I joined TeamUCL in 2022 as the Sports Administrator and before that I had just completed an MSc in Sports Performance Analysis at Loughborough.
How was your experience of sport at University?
I loved sports at Uni and it was the highlight of my week! I was part of Brunel American football during my time doing my undergrad and loved it so much I’m now a coach at the club.
What's a hobby or activity you do outside of work?
I’m heavily involved in American football in the UK so I dedicate a fair chunk of my free time to this! Whether this be coaching or making social media content! Sports wise, I’m an avid Arsenal fan and go to games as much as possible.
Tommy
Sports Development Coordinator (Equity & Inclusion)
What's your role? What type of work do you cover?
I’m one of our Sports Development Coordinators, alongside Sam. My role is a split between club support and TeamUCL equity and inclusion programmes. I lead on our programme of campaigns, deliver a gym programme for disabled students, and support broader equity and inclusion work across TeamUCL, like the development of the Gender Inclusion Hub and Inclusive Sport page.
What did you do before joining TeamUCL?
A lot of things! I started at the Ultimate Frisbee national governing body, leading on coach education, before doing a Masters in coach learning, and working for British Blind Sport. Before joining TeamUCL in May 2023, my last role was with King’s College London Student’s Union, as their Sports Development Coordinator.
How was your experience of sport at University?
Incredible. I did a Sports Coaching Science degree, and was rooted in sports clubs from day 1. Throughout my time I played Cricket and Ultimate Frisbee, and coached the Women’s Cricket, Ultimate Frisbee and Wheelchair Basketball clubs.
What's a hobby or activity you do outside of work?
I love cooking! Other than that, I still coach and play lots of Ultimate Frisbee. A recent highlight was coaching the GB Men’s team at the 2024 World Championships, in the Gold Coast.
Lydia
Sports Administrator
What's your role? What type of work do you cover?
I'm the Sports Administrator meaning I'll be working with all the BUCS teams with their fixtures & ensuring we have as many wins as possible!
What did you do before joining TeamUCL?
I recently graduated after studying Sports Psychology at the University of Portsmouth. I was also a gymnastics coach & sports activity leader for many years working with children & young people.
How was your experience of sport at University?
Whilst I was at uni I was the team captain & president of the gymnastics & trampolining club and also the media officer on the executive team. My time at uni would not have been the same without gym & tramp and I feel so lucky to have met some amazing people throughout my years there.
What's a hobby or activity you do outside of work?
I'll almost always be at the gym, on a run, walking my dog or at the pub with my friends