Sports Development Officer

Tristan Hale – Sports Development Officer

I took my first steps into sports development whilst completing a maths degree at the University of York by becoming the Athletic Union’s first Volunteer Coordinator. Realising my interests lay in sport I took a year out after completing my degree to be involved with various European youth sport programmes and the Year of the Volunteer 2005, before embarking on an MSc in Sports Management at Northumbria University.

After completing my MSc I worked as a fencing coach and at a private members health club and then secured the role of Volunteer Development Officer at Northamptonshire Sport. I spent over two years in Northamptonshire developing the Sporting Volunteers Programme and Sports Leadership Academies before joining Oxfordshire Sports Partnership in April 2010. My role at Oxfordshire Sports Partnership involves coordinating the Step into Sport programme, supporting sports clubs and organisations with volunteer development and engaging the wider third sector to support NGB, volunteer and club needs.

I take an interest in most sports and have had a go at many, but the sport I have had most involvement with is fencing. In recent years I have coached and been part of the team management for U17 national squads and refereed internationally, getting my full international licence in January 2010. Currently most weekends are taken up either fulfilling my duties as a director of England Fencing or pursuing my aim to referee at the Olympics in London 2012.