WHY "OFF THE CUFF"?
Quite simply, I believe strongly that to excel in today’s society you must be willing to adapt, to try new things, and be able to read and react to situations and potential opportunities. ‘Off the cuff’ is a concept I try to instil in everyone I teach and coach.
I am frequently referred to as ‘laid back’ which I used to confuse with being lazy, but I am quite the opposite! My life experiences and lessons have allowed me to be quietly confident in all that I do and when faced with a particularly challenging situation I know that I will get through it and come out the other side having learned something.
I’m at a point in my life where nothing fazes me and I’m keen to help the next generation realise this for themselves. So, just to be clear, I’m not laid back, I’m a black swan! Visualise a swan moving through the water. Above the surface the swan looks cool, calm and relaxed! Under the surface, you will see its legs working powerfully to create that graceful movement you see on the surface. That’s me!
EDUCATION
The greatest profession in the world
Working with the next generation is rewarding, unpredictable, chaotic, invigorating and everything else you can think of. Me personally, I was born to inspire and I’m blessed that in all that I do, I am able to make positive changes and leave lasting impressions on the children and young adults that I meet along the way. What a job!
The education game is changing and like I previously mentioned, we need to be able to adapt to the changes that are taking place. I’ve heard so many people saying that children have changed but I disagree and feel that children are the same, it’s the world around them that is changing. The Welsh government are making the necessary moves, adapting to provide a more suitable curriculum for teachers and pupils. I have been fortunate enough to be involved with the planning phase of the New Curriculum for Wales and I am excited about what a new skills-based curriculum could mean for the creative, willing to adapt teachers like myself.
Like it or not, technology is a big part of children’s lives and this is not going to change. I therefore choose to embrace technology in education, and I find it a continuous learning journey, discovering all the amazing technological tools available to enhance learning and teaching. I am proud to have been awarded the title of Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert by Microsoft Education along with being named the first Diversity & Inclusion Fellow for Microsoft UK, something that you will hear me talk about a lot in my blog.
TRIBAL BASKETBALL
Bringing Basketball to the community
Basketball is one of my biggest passions and I am so lucky to be running this business with my best buddies, who were in fact both best men at my wedding.
Tribal Basketball is on a mission to bring basketball to the community. We are currently the only club in Wales that provides basketball to participants from age 2 to 102! Yes, you did read that correctly, our youngest participant is 2 and our eldest is 102.
Tribal Basketball runs various sessions throughout the year, including, mini, junior and senior ballers, birthday parties, intergenerational events, schools coaching, holiday basketball camps and most recently, Tribal Nerf Wars! Our focus at the moment is securing our own facility so that we may provide even more Basketball opportunities for the local community.
TEAM ACTIVE
Wellbeing-Education-Recreation
My wife and I are the proud owners of Team Active and we are hopeful that this business will one day become our full-time jobs. To quote the great Gary Veynerchuck, our ‘North Star’ is to run bespoke after-school provisions for primary schools, where activities are led by qualified teachers and other professionals that will enable a complete experience for participants.
Team Active provides well-being, education and recreation for the local community. We offer holiday clubs, after school clubs, and children's parties, all at excellent value for money. We have also recently opened an online shop that sells homemade seasonal gifts for all the family. There really is something for every family with Team Active!
Based in Cardiff and the surrounding areas, Team Active truly is a community based business that aims to develop life-long skills such as physical literacy, social and mental well-being, all whilst having lots of fun along the way!