Loretta Williams (DiSE Manager)

Loretta has worked for British Rowing for 20 years starting out as a Development officer in Yorkshire, the North East and Cumbria. She has been involved in the sport of rowing however for 25 years, as an athlete and cox. Loretta is also a silver level coach and has supported athletes on the DiSE programme since 2012, and has been managing the programme since 2016.

When asked what she enjoys most about the programme Loretta said “It can be the little things, those moments when the penny drops with an athlete or when an athlete tells you how much impact the course has had on a really important Championship race. Basically, it’s when you see the positive impact that being part of the programme has made to an athlete whether it’s big or small!”

Eddie Bryant

Rowing as a junior and graduating from university with a degree in Sport and Exercise Science with Physiology, Eddie took up a job as a development coach with British Rowing, involving working as a World Class Start coach with several athletes in Yorkshire. Eddie then moved to Durham School where he is now Director of Rowing and more recently Head of Boys’ Games and Director of Performance. He is a Coach Educator with British Rowing and a mentor and a Lead Coach on the Women’s Development Programme.

Dan Cooper

Dan started rowing in 2004, but being ‘slightly’ shorter than his crew mates, he found that coaching allowed him to fulfil his sporting goals. Dan is passionate about the impact that sport can have on youth development and has coached at grassroots (LYR), club (Lea RC), talent identification and development (World Class Start) and currently works as the GB Rowing Team Under 19 Programme Manager. Dan is also UK Anti-Doping Educator and regularly runs workshops on this subject. When asked about the DiSE programme Dan said “It is a fantastic learning opportunity for athletes that are starting their performance pathway journey as it covers so many of the skills that the individual will need.”

Maria Crowfoot

Maria comes from a rugby background, having played from the age of 4. She has a degree in Sports Science and Geography from Loughborough University and a masters from St Mary’s University in Professional Development: Rugby Performance Coaching. She has a Level 3 in personal training and a Level 2 in gym instructing. Maria is a level 3 rugby coach, and is Women’s Performance Lead at Bath Rugby, Head Coach of University of Bath Women’s Team and mentor/educator for England Rugby. She loves working with athletes, enabling them to develop and thrive on the DiSE programme.

Rachel Hooper

Rachel is a former international junior athlete with almost 30 years’ experience as a coach and coach educator. An Advanced (Level 4) British Rowing Coach, Rachel has also recently completed a Masters in Professional Practice in Sports Coaching. She works for British Rowing as Learning, Education and Development Manager and is passionate about ensuring positive experiences in rowing through great coaching. As a DiSE mentor she enjoys working with coaches and athletes from some of the smaller programmes in the north west region to help them reach their full potential.

Katie Sparks

Katie comes from a Sport Psychology academic and rowing background. She started rowing in her first year of her undergraduate Sport Science degree at University of Birmingham and has continued to row ever since. The rowing continued and so did her studies, now finishing a PhD in Sport Psychology, specialising in the understanding of the psychology behind competing under pressure and the beneficial impact of sport and performance specific mindfulness. During her doctoral studies she has worked with athletes as a sport science assistant, coach, mindfulness teacher, taught sport psychology at an undergraduate level and is now a Lifestyle consultant for DiSE athletes at British Rowing. She has completed a number of courses Level 2 Fitness Instructing, Mindfulness practitioner, Level 2 Counselling and Level 2 talented athlete lifestyle advisor.

At the moment she is finishing her Level 3 talented athlete lifestyle advisor course. All of these courses and experience will support her current role as a DiSE Lifestyle consultant to give the athletes the best possible service.

Tom Staten

Tom is a strengths-based sport and performance psychologist, currently completing his doctoral studies to attain HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council) practitioner status. Previously, he managed the DiSE programmes at Hartpury College across various sports, including rowing. His research interests therefore naturally include dual-career support programmes and he holds several years of practical experience in supporting teams and individual athletes both as a coach and psychologist.

Tom is dedicated to fostering success through enhancing wellbeing and performance in both organisations and individuals.

Hannah Vines

Hannah is the Rowing Manager at Dorney and manages Eton’s outreach programme. She previously worked at Richmond College on the Sports BTECH and London Youth Rowing.

Hannah was a GB Junior rower herself and was involved in the DiSE programme at its first inception when it was known as AASE and then ASE, so has heaps to offer to the programme and to bring to the athletes with whom she works.

Paul Willcocks

Paul has a 20-year background in the Health and Fitness Industry, graduating from Surrey University with a Sports Science Degree. He got into rowing relatively late, at the age of 23, with Vesta RC and then in the main with London RC.

As he moved into coaching, he spent a few years back at Vesta before taking 2 years off to retrain at University to be a Teacher. During this time, he enjoyed working at, London Scottish Rugby Club, with a strength and conditioning focus. He developed his teaching practices working within a PE department in west London, with an emphasis on A-level and GCSE PE, and at the same time returned to coaching with Molesey BC, with their Juniors and finally Senior Men.

Paul is currently enjoying coaching at St George’s College, Weybridge, whilst balancing his time as a Coach Educator on the DiSE programme with British Rowing.