Sports Academy

Former professional rugby player for Saracens, Harlequins, England and British Lions. Ex Director of Harlequins Academy and Women's Elite Programme; RFU Level 4 Coach.

Tomas worked within the Canford rugby programme for several years before taking the role of Head of Rugby in September 2024. He is also part of the Bath Academy coaching team.

Ellie joined Canford in September 2023. She is a former Surrey Storm Vitality Super League player. Previously at RGS Worcester. Ellie continues to drive the development of the successful Canford netball programme.

Greg joined Canford School in September 2023 from East London, South Africa. He has extensive experience in hockey, having played at provincial level throughout his career and representing the South African O40 Masters side in 2019.

He leads the hockey programme at Canford, working across all age groups and contributing to both performance and participation. He brings over 20 years of coaching experience across all age groups.

He has a particular involvement with the U14 Girls’ and Boys’ teams.

Greg is a SAHA Level 2 qualified coach and a Level 2 umpire. In addition to hockey, he has represented South Africa in indoor cricket and remains actively involved in local hockey by coaching within the Dorset community.

James has worked at Canford since 2023 alongside his role as Analyst for Poole Town. James has always had a passion for the sport and a wealth of experience gained from working with Middlesborough, Port Vale and AFC Bournemouth.

Colin is based at Bulbury Woods Golf Club in Lytchett and coaches adults and juniors of all abilities. With over 25 years of coaching experience, he has extensive expertise in junior and schools coaching, delivering structured development programmes across several counties. Colin now coaches regularly at Canford, using the excellent facilities to provide professional, engaging, and age-appropriate coaching that helps young golfers build strong fundamentals, confidence, and a lifelong love of the game.

Brett is a Level 4 Tennis Professional with over 30 years of coaching experience, specialising in performance tennis. Recently appointed as the Head of Tennis at Canford School, he brings a wealth of expertise, energy, and passion for player development to the role.

Throughout his career, Brett has coached players of all ages and abilities — from complete beginners to junior and senior tennis players competing at world-ranking level. His ability to nurture talent, inspire confidence, and elevate performance has established him as a respected and sought-after coach within the tennis community.

In recognition of his dedication and excellence, Brett was voted Dorset’s Best Tennis Coach for 2025, an accolade he also earned in 2018. 

Tim Messent is the Head of Rowing at Canford School, bringing a wealth of experience from his previous roles as Head of Rowing at RGS Worcester and as an Education and Training Manager for British Rowing. A former national-level junior medalist who began his career at Evesham Rowing Club, Tim has transitioned into a highly regarded coach and educator. Throughout his career, which includes coaching tenures at New College, Oxford and Cheltenham College, he has specialised in creating a supportive and competitive environments for both high performance rowing and a broad participation base. 

Jed has been an activity instructor for eight years. For the past three years, he has been our dedicated Multi-Sports lead, bringing energy, experience, and a passion for engaging young people in a wide variety of activities. With his background as a climbing wall and assault course instructor, Jed combines technical expertise with a fun, encouraging approach that helps children build confidence, teamwork, and new skills.

As the leader of our Multi-Sports camp, Jed creates an inclusive and exciting environment where every child can explore different sports, stay active, and make new friends. His sessions are carefully designed to be both enjoyable and developmental, making full use of Canford’s outstanding facilities. Under Jed’s guidance, your child(ren) will have a memorable experience packed with variety, challenge, and fun.