A raft of highly skilled professional coaches will Join Wellington School in September to support ex Somerset Cricketer and Head of Sport Steffan Jones in his mission to create an unrivalled centre of sporting excellence.
The new Sports Performance and Wellbeing department will deliver a pioneering new curriculum and a whole new approach to fitness and sport. The new department will be responsible for coaching sport to all pupils in the school regardless of age and ability, and will pioneer a new wellbeing element that will educate our young people on important lifestyle features such as diet, fitness and body image.
Greg Durston, former Head of Hockey Development at Taunton School will lead the hockey squads. An ex-professional, he has played for many different teams and clubs including Bath Buccaneers, Firebrands and presently Taunton Vale. While playing for these teams he also played National League for a number of years
He will be joined by former England international test cricketer Caroline Foster. Caroline joins from Somerset CCC, where she was responsible for female cricket in the county and was player/coach for the Somerset womens’ team.
Also working to provide elite cricket coaching will be Paul “Syd” Lawrence. Paul is an ECB Level Three coach specialising in Spin, a qualified ECB coach education tutor and assessor and he was recently appointed head coach of the Gibraltar National Side. Paul has been the Somerset CCC District coach and has previously coached spin bowlers from both Australia and the UK.
L-R: Caroline Foster, Greg Durston and Paul ‘Syd’ Lawrence
To support the wellbeing element of the curriculum, the department will also include specialists in judo, dance and tennis, as well as a sports psychologist.
Elements of sports psychology and sports analysis will also be on the curriculum, and new classes in activities such as body pump, pilates and dance will gradually become available to all students. The new curriculum development will form part of the School’s overall reorganisation of its co-curricular provision, forming a key part of the all round education provided by the school.
Steffan Jones concluded: ‘I am delighted to have these passionate and motivated professionals working alongside me” commented Director of Sports Performance and Wellbeing Steffan Jones. “The mission of the new Sports Performance and Wellbeing Department is to inspire, educate and encourage the next generation to pursue a lifetime of health. Having the best coaches in the area supporting our pupils will lift the performance of each pupil dramatically – we have exciting times ahead!”
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