Oakham School was delighted to welcome 25 very special guests from the sporting world to its inaugural Sporting Futures event, an evening of talks and networking for young people involved in talent pathways and academies. Over 100 young athletes aged between 14 and 16 - and their parents - attended from Oakham School and other schools across the country. 

This unique and exciting event was designed to provide genuine insight and advice to young people involved in sports talent pathways, by leveraging Oakham School's considerable experience in the field, as well as that of the visiting speakers. 

After a warm welcome address from Oakham School's Headmaster, Henry Price, Director of Sport, Dr Iain Simpson, outlined what athletes should expect from a talent development environment. 

Lecturer in Sports Coaching at Loughborough University Dr Ed Cope - a renowned expert in the field of coaching and who has worked with the Football Association - delivered a compelling talk about the necessity of learning how to overcome adversity in successful talent development. Dr Cope explained the importance of young athletes being constantly challenged as part of their learning journey. 

James Bateman, Head of Men's Performance Hockey at University of Nottingham, outlined the environment that students can expect at sports focused universities, focusing on the world class facilities and expert coaching. He also emphasised importance of balancing both academic and sporting ambitions when selecting a university, and talked about opportunities for sports scholarships. 

The audience then enjoyed an insightful presentation from former Leicester Tigers and England rugby player Leon Lloyd, a leading authority on transitioning to life outside of sport. Leon - who works with Premier League football clubs, blue chip companies and the MoD - discussed the importance of keeping options open and highlighted the multitude of career options open within the wider sporting world. 

Tigers' Jack van poortvliet attended the event. Image credit: Oakham School.

Leicester Tigers Head Coach, Dan McKellar, then took to the stage to give a view on what professional sports clubs are looking for when recruiting athletes. He outlined key attributes that he deems essential in his players, based on his 15-year professional rugby coaching career with - amongst others - Leicester Tigers, ACT Brumbies and the Australian national team. Mr McKellar identified talent, character, work ethic, sacrifice and resilience as the essential attributes for professional athletes. 

Dr Simpson closed the talks by considering the talent pathway journey from a parent's perspective, before guests congregated in Oakham School's Sports Centre for a networking reception. 

Alongside the fantastic headline speakers, the event was attended by an impressive roster of guests from the worlds of elite rugby, hockey, netball, cricket and cycling. 

Among the group of special guests were two Class of '19 Old Oakhamians: Leicester Tigers and England rugby star Jack van Poortvliet and freelance sports journalist Imogen Ainsworth. 

Speaking about the event, Dr Simpson said: "I'm very grateful to our speakers and special guests for joining us, and for helping to deliver a hugely successful event. 

"Five universities and ten talent pathways were represented at the Sporting Futures event and we were joined by ten elite athletes and 32 professional coaches. 

"It's a privilege to be able to bring together so many talented young athletes from far and wide to discuss matters important to them and their families." 

Gregory, who attended the event with his son Andrew, said "My son and I found it engaging, informative, and very useful in getting both of us to think about his life - not just his passion for rugby - in a more considered and long-term way." 

Fellow guest Ian added: "The event was very informative and inspiring for parents, let alone the children! It's clear a lot of work went into planning the event and there were many takeouts from the advice and information available." 

If you are interested in finding out more about Sport at Oakham School, please contact our Admissions Department on 01572 758758 or [email protected]