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Excellence and Expertise – New Sports Coaching Appointments at Canford
As the new academic year approaches, Canford Sport is delighted to announce a number of new appointments to its team of coaching staff, adding to the existing department strength of skills and expertise offering over 20 different sports and activities to ensure every pupil receives a high quality sporting experience, whatever their ability and goals.
Rugby
Current Director of Sport and Physical Wellbeing Tony Diprose will also from September be heading up the Canford Rugby programme. Following a playing career that took in representing England and the British Lions, Tony coached at Harlequins for 13 years and his highlights included winning the Premiership in 2012 and overseeing as Head of Academy the development of several future Professional players, internationals and British Lions including Kyle Sinckler and Marcus Smith. Tony will be supported in his role by Tomas Roberts in a new role as the Assistant Head of Rugby. Tomas has been with the Canford Rugby programme over the last couple of years alongside being part of the Bath Academy coaching team.
Netball
Canford’s Netball programme will be headed up from September by current Surrey Storm Vitality Super League player Ellie Gibbons. Ellie joins Canford as Head of Netball having previously run the netball programme at RGS Worcester and will look to continue to drive the development of the programme which has seen huge success in recent seasons, including finishing in the Top 4 Nationally.
Hockey
Our high performing hockey programme will be boosted by the recruitment of Greg Davis as Assistant Director of Hockey. Greg comes in from East London in South Africa having played and coached at South African provincial level and his experience across the age groups will be hugely beneficial across our programme.
Football
As Football continues to grow at Canford and across the independent school's landscape Canford’s programme will be led by James Crickmore as the newly appointed Head of Football. James’s career so far has previously seen him involved with the Academy programme at Middlesborough FC and he will now work at Canford alongside a role within AFC Bournemouth’s academy coaching staff.
Athletic Development
To continue the growth of our Athletic development programme Matt Smith will be joining the school from Millfield as Head of Athletic Development. Matt has previous experience at London Irish Rugby Club and Loughborough University and will oversee all physical development programmes at the school including our sports scholars and High Performing athletes. His role will also include much liaison with our award winning wellbeing programme in areas such as nutrition and rehabilitation.
Graduate Assistants
The sports department will also once again be supported by a team of quality Graduate Assistants and this year’s intake will include a Wales U21 Lacrosse player, County Cricket Coach and a former GB Level Junior rower.
Dr David Neill, Deputy Head Co-curricular, commented:
Sport and Physical Wellbeing are essential to every pupil’s positive mental and physical health, and what they gain from sport has a direct impact on performance in the classroom and on their general enjoyment and participation in all aspects of school life. Canford sport has a fine reputation and I am delighted that as a result we have attracted interest from such a high quality field of sports coaches and graduate assistants to support our 2023/4 programme.
Tony Diprose, Director of Sport and Physical Wellbeing, added:
Our programme aligns with the Canford School vision, offering all pupils the chance to Explore the opportunities that sport offers, allow them to Express themselves through their physical wellbeing activities and facilitate those who wish to Excel in their chosen path. Our sporting vision is based around four core goals – Personal Development, Wellbeing, Participation and Performance – and with nearly 100 staff involved in sport across the school we create a culture where every pupil can aspire to be the best they can be, with the first class facilities and high quality coaching experience to make it happen.
Find out more about sport at Canford on the school website at this link:
