Rydal Penrhos’ director of sport Allen Boyd

"Education needs to be your Plan A" says Sports Director

A former Olympic athlete has revealed she is struggling to find work since retiring from sport

Posted by Hannah Vickers | August 11, 2017 | Sports & Leisure

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Rydal Penrhos’ Director of Sport, Allen Boyd has stressed the importance of putting education first after former Olympic athlete Gail Emms revealed she has struggled to find work since retiring from sport.

The retired star had a successful career, with an Olympic medal the pinnacle, along with World Championship mixed doubles gold in 2006 and two Commonwealth golds. However, nine years since she retired, Emms has been surprised and dismayed by how difficult it has been to find work - and says it has affected her family life.

Speaking to the BBC, she said: "I turned 40 last week and I have no career path. Yes, I can keep doing the motivational speaking but when your bookings are very short and low on the ground - and this is the situation I'm in - that's the reality of it.

"Everyone assumes that just because you are an Olympic medallist, you are made for life. People assume I drive a fast car. I get to go to events, I get to do great things, but I need to build, I need a job, I need a career for me and my family."

Mr Boyd stated that at Rydal Penrhos the academic success of pupils’ is of paramount importance, saying that sporting success should be their “Plan B”.

The school has enjoyed enormous sporting triumphs over recent months, producing a number of internationals in rugby, rugby league, swimming, sailing, weightlifting and table tennis.

Pupils are expected to be performing at their best academically and sport should always be their plan B, plan A is an education and a career - Allen Boyd, Rydal Penrhos’ Director of Sport

He said: “Pupils are expected to be performing at their best academically and sport should always be their plan B, plan A is an education and a career.

“They can’t really choose a career in sport, it chooses them but they need to be prepared for when that decision comes. There we very few sports that are professional and very few opportunities within those that are.

“One way we help our scholars to stay on track is through our Talented Athlete seminar programme where pupils and parents are fully involved in target setting with pupils, both sporting and academic, to ensure we all know what our responsibilities are, especially the scholar as they are the one who will need to be incredibly hard working and diligent to make it all happen with a strong support network around them.”