Team Durham are proud to boast the skilled, elite workforce that is built up around our athletes here at Durham to support them to be the best that they can be. Support staff ranges from handpicked strength and conditioning coaches, performance lifestyle coaching, a knowledgeable nutritionist, a physiotherapy team and sports doctor. The athletes wouldn't represent the world podium today if it wasn't for the team behind the scenes, with endless time and support given to both the teams and the coaches.
In his 14 years at Durham, Jon has supported the coaching team in producing DUBC athletes to elite standard and Olympic-level, as well as supporting men's rugby, weightlifting and Hartlepool Utd as an UKSCA accredited coach. Jon has strength trained recreationally since he was 15, and has found the job of his dreams at Team Durham, who have invested in his education and development, which is something he gives back to the team time and time again. In particular, Jon enjoys the combination of high academic achievement and high sporting achievement fostered at DUBC, and he believes that this makes the club a special and beautiful place.
Jon aims to annually produce rowers who perform at BUCS, and are capable of feeding into, and tolerating, the GB U23 Rowing Programme, something that he consistently and passionately succeeds in doing. "Little Jon" has spread far and wide, impressing British Rowing and Team GB with his personable approach and impressing senior colleagues within governing bodies, demonstrating his exceptional knowledge base and unparalleled commitment to athlete development. Jon is an asset to Durham, with a big heart and passion for sport.
Graeme, owner of GF International Solutions, has over 20 years experience coaching grassroot to internationally ranked juniors over 5 countries. Graeme works at Durham with both our athletes and our coaches, under the remit of coach education and development, as well as lifestyle management. Part of Graeme's role is fulfilling the potential of performance athletes, recognising their successes and supporting through their failures. Further to his role, Graeme is an ambassador for Clean Sport and the 100% Me Campaign, delivering important information to Team Durham's athletes. Graeme works within the world of performance coaching, mentoring, lifestyle and psychology and uses his breadth of experience with a variety of clients in his work as a Performance Consultant. With the help of Graeme, Durham's athletes are able to develop a strong mindset as they move through challenges at top level sport, and are supported as they reach their sporting potential.
Ryan has been an integral member of the MCP Team since its establishment in 2015. With his initial qualification as a Physiotherapist in 2008, he-brings over 15 years of expertise to his role. His journey with the team began as the lead physio for Durham University's hockey, cricket, and basketball clubs. In 2018, Ryan assumed the pivotal position of clinical team lead within the service. Beyond his responsibilities at MCP, he holds the role of an Extended Scope Physiotherapist within the NHS. His notable achievements extend to collaborating with GB Basketball and serving as the Medical Team Lead for DMP Sharks across multiple seasons. Ryan's unwavering competitive spirit is equally evident outside of work, whether he's engaged in the Durham Basketball League or vying to outperform Kari in the realm of ten-pin bowling-a testament to his ambitious nature.
Kari is one of the most recent members to join the Maiden Castle Physiotherapy team, bringing with her-over two years of experience as a qualified Physiotherapist. She has honed her skills across multiple rotations in the NHS and now has a specialisation in Musculoskeletal care.
Her sporting background includes training at The Sport and Wellbeing Park, leading her to achieve international level in Modern Pentathlon; getting to the European Championships. Currently, Kari serves as the lead Physiotherapist for the university hockey club, while also embracing the chance to provide her expertise to the local community, through the private clinics Maiden Castle Physiotherapy offer. Beyond her professional. commitments, Kari's enthusiasm for sports is evident as she actively participates on the hockey pitch and enjoys triumphing over her work colleagues at ten pin bowling!
Mike is a highly qualified physiotherapist with a BSc (Hons) in physiotherapy and over 23 years of extensive experience. Throughout his career, he has continually enhanced his expertise through accredited postgraduate courses and qualifications. For 12 years, Mike dedicated himself to the A&E department, where he handled various trauma and emergency situations. In the past 8 years, he has excelled as an Extended Scope Physiotherapist within the NHS and has been an integral part of the Maiden Castle team since its establishment in 2015. His specialisation in sports physiotherapy extends to working with athletes across a range of sports, including rowing, rugby, golf, netball, and mixed martial arts to name a few. Currently, Mike holds the position of Lead Physiotherapist for the Women's Rugby 'Centre of Excellence' in the North, supporting ladies who have achieved international level. Mike's had a lifelong involvement in sports, and continues to play and coach rugby at his local club in Hartlepool. He is currently in training to beat Kari at ten-pin bowling, reflecting his passion for sport and his competitve nature.
Jakki holds a degree in Sports Rehabilitation from the University of Salford with experience as an Exercise Rehab Instructor for both the Army and RAF. She has provided pitch side and injury rehabilitation for various sports teams, including elite ice hockey, football, county, and England rugby pathways.Jakki pursued postgraduate Physiotherapy at Teesside University, concurrently working with Great Britain's American football teams. Since 2020, she has been engaged in outpatient work and joined the Maiden castle team initially with the MP Sharks Women's Elite Premiership rugby team. She went on to support Durham University women's rugby and, most recently, the men's BUCS Super rugby team. Jakki's professional focus revolves around contact sports, return-to-play performance, and lower limb injuries. Beyond her professional pursuits, she excels in American football representing Great Britain at recent World Championships and European Championships.
Emily is a newly qualified Band 5 Physiotherapist specialising in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy. She earned her MSc from York St John University after completing her BSc in Sports Therapy at Leeds Beckett University. With a strong background in sports, Emily played high-level football, representing both Newcastle and Sunderland Academy and captaining the Durham County team. As a new member of the Maiden Castle Physiotherapy team, she will work clinically with the American football team, where she aims to enhance her musculoskeletal knowledge and skills in a sports environment, alongside the Maiden Castle private clinics. Outside of work, Emily remains active in her local run club, enjoys the gym and competing in half marathons for fun. Her passion for sports and commitment to her professional development makes her a valuable addition to the team.
Andy is the most recent addition to our team, having graduated from Teesside University in 2022 with a first-class honours degree in Physiotherapy. Prior to pursuing his Physiotherapy studies, Andy earned his degree in Sports Therapy from Chichester University in 2019, where he also qualified as a Personal Trainer. Furthermore, during his current tenure at Maiden Castle, he has achieved a Level 2 Pre-hospital Intermediate Care in Sport certificate with a focus on rugby. His extensive background in sports traces back to his involvement in football from a young age, progressing to the semi-professional level. Andy maintains his passion for football and remains physically active, participating in badminton multiple times a week.
Andy specialises in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy and serves as a static member within the Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy department at North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust. His diverse experience spans from working in hospital clinics where he also works as part of the specialist knee clinic, to collaborating with academy sports teams and private sports injury clinics. Notably, Andy assumes the role of lead Physiotherapist for the Women's Rugby team of Durham University, where he provides both pitch-side and clinical support. Additionally he offers valuable assistance to the private clinics hosted by Maiden Castle Physiotherapy.
TBC
Kathryn has a VCTC in sports massage and also undertakes reflexology; with experience in treating athletes from a range of sports and has covered sporting events. Kathryn has worked with clubs such as DUBC for over 10 years, and has been a practising therapist for 15. Kathryn focuses on soft tissue work, acupuncture and taping, and keeping all the athletes robust and ache free. Beyond sport massage, Kathryn loves giving DUBC rowers new recipes to try as she makes sure that they all feel looked after and happy in their training environment.
For more information on Maiden Castle Physiotherapy, please click here.
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