Testimonials

I recently invited Gordon to speak to our parents on the topic of Working With Parents in Sport. My aim was to help shift perspectives away from a narrow focus on team selection, results, and winning or losing, and towards a deeper understanding of the value of sport and physical education in shaping character. Ultimately, these are the qualities that will future-proof our children for the world they will go on to face.

This was the third time I have listened to Gordon speak, and I had no hesitation in inviting him to my new school. In my previous prep school, his sessions were met with overwhelmingly positive feedback, and I was confident he would have the same impact here.

The session was exactly as I had hoped. Gordon delivered a thought-provoking and engaging talk that resonated strongly with our parent body. The response and feedback were extremely positive, including one particularly notable email from a parent who wrote:

“A very insightful and informative talk. My husband has high expectations and a deep knowledge of sport, and he also thoroughly enjoyed it. Sport is a hugely important part of a child’s development, but it often doesn’t receive the attention or time it deserves. Many thanks again.”

It was incredibly rewarding to see parents leave with a broader, more meaningful understanding of the role sport plays in their children’s development. I would highly recommend Gordon to any school looking to strengthen the partnership between parents and sport.

Georgina Ravenhall Director of Sport, Glendower Prep, Kensington April 15, 2026

Our experience with Working with Parents in Sport for events for members of the Royal Academy of Dance has been excellent. Gordon is professional, knowledgeable, and highly engaging, creating a supportive environment that encourages open and honest discussion and interaction. The sessions are thoughtfully delivered and extremely well received by our members, and we would welcome the opportunity to collaborate with Gordon and the team again in the future.

Sarah-Jayne Lewis Head of Events, Royal Academy of Dance March 16, 2026

Our sessions with Gordon MacLelland and Sarah Murray from Working with Parents in Sport have been extremely positive for both our athletes and their families. Their guidance has helped us build a stronger, more positive sporting environment where parents feel informed, confident, and genuinely involved in their young athlete’s development. They have also provided them with a platform to share their own experiences. The workshops and resources have helped improve communication between coaches and parents and have enhanced our culture that puts the wellbeing of young athletes first. We would highly recommend Working with Parents in Sport to any organisation looking to strengthen the vital partnership of parent, athlete, and coach.

Chris Stott Head of Coaching, British Shooting March 10, 2026

During our 2025-2026 Winter Programme, we have partnered with Gordon and WWPIS to provide tailored awareness workshops for our parents / guardians. Initial feedback from parents / guardians who have attended the workshops has been very positive - they have enjoyed the informative, thought-provoking and interactive nature of the sessions. After an initial introductory session for both our Early Engagement Programme and CAG parents / guardians, the content of the sessions has focused on managing disappointment, striking the balance between being a ‘parent parent’ and sporting parent, and how to enhance the match day experience for players. We are excited about continuing our work with WWPIS to provide further holistic support for all our families involved in the Warwickshire CCC Pathway. 

Ben Gibbons Pathway Lead Boys, Warwickshire County Cricket Club March 2, 2026

For the past number of years Gordon has delivered an excellent, highly engaging session for our Academy parents. His clear, practical guidance on managing expectations, avoiding comparison, and prioritising long-term development strongly resonated with our families. A valuable experience for any Academy seeking stronger alignment between players, coaches and parents.

Aidan O'Connell High Performance Manager, Cork GAA February 28, 2026

Working with Working with Parents in Sport has been refreshing and genuinely transformative for staff at Southampton Football Club. The three workshops delivered during CPD events (Building Positive Relationships with Your Players’ Parents, Parental Engagement- Having Difficult and Crucial Conversations, and Working with Gen Z & Generation Alpha for High Performance) have challenged, supported and had lasting impact on how our staff engage with parents, communicate in challenging moments, and connect with young players across our pathway.

Gordon Maclelland and Sarah Murray have an outstanding ability to make complex topics feel accessible, and their insight, expertise and passion shines through in every workshop. Their depth of knowledge combined with an engaging, relatable delivery style has made each topic highly relevant and inspiring. Feedback from attendees has been very positive with many sharing they have felt more confident and equipped with practical strategies, to better nurture relationships with parents to enhance the environment for both players and staff.

I highly recommend Working with Parents in Sport to any organisation seeking to elevate their approaches and practice when working with parents and players.

Steve King Coach Development Manager, Southampton Football Club February 27, 2026

Our partnership with Working With Parents In Sport has been incredibly positive and impactful for Steel Sports. Gordon and the WWPIS team bring unmatched insight, credibility, and practical guidance around parent engagement, which aligns perfectly with our Kids First philosophy. Their content, counsel, and collaborative approach have helped us better support families, strengthen communication across our clubs, and elevate the overall youth sports experience. We view WWPIS as a true partner—one that shares our values and continues to add meaningful value to our organisation and the communities we serve

Martin Brown President & CEO, Steel Sports February 26, 2026

It has been a pleasure collaborating with Gordon over the past year. He is an exceptionally thoughtful partner who listens intently to organisational needs and consistently follows through on his commitments. I highly recommend Working With Parents in Sport to any youth organisation; their resources are in high demand among our families, and the 'off the field' support they provide is an essential value-add for any modern sports program.

Paul Burns Managing Director, Burlington Gymnastics Club February 26, 2026

WWPIS are professional, easy to work with, and genuinely invested in helping players and families navigate the demands of the performance environment. It’s been a pleasure working together, and I would happily recommend them as a trusted and impactful delivery partner. Their sessions are engaging, practical, and well tailored to the needs of our players, and we’ve received consistently positive feedback from parents about the quality and relevance of their work.

Vicky Cheshire Player Education & Lifestyle Lead, Football Association (Women's) February 25, 2026

Our organization has partnered with WWPIS for over 18 months now, and the impact has been experienced at all levels by both our staff and our families. As Gordon is actively living the life of a sporting parent, his insight and experience continue to be an invaluable voice for any parent who is on this wild journey. His humility and honesty are relatable and welcoming as he challenges each parent to improve the sporting experience for their player and themselves. It’s been a gift for NC Fusion to work with him and his team!

Sarah Bridges Chief Experience Officer, North Carolina Fusion May 22, 2024

From the very beginning, Gordon's insights and strategic guidance have been invaluable. He has a unique ability to engage with both parents and sports professionals, creating a collaborative environment that fosters positive outcomes. The resources and workshops provided by Working with Parents in Sport have empowered our community, leading to enhanced communication, better understanding, and a more supportive atmosphere for young athletes.

Their commitment to promoting the best practices in sports parenting is truly commendable. The tailored approach and practical advice we received have not only met but exceeded our expectations. We have seen a marked improvement in our young athletes' overall experience and development, thanks to the initiatives implemented through their programs.

I highly recommend Working with Parents in Sport to any organisation looking to enhance their support for parents and young athletes. Gordon and his team are a pleasure to work with, and their impact is meaningful and lasting.

Matthew Brook Director of Football, South Coast Baptist College May 17, 2024

We have brought WWPIS in to deliver sessions for parents in our programmes for the past few years and they are consistently highly appreciated by the parents. Gordon brings an experienced yet humble approach to the session and meets the parents very much as an equal participant in the adventure of sport parenting. There is clearly great need for more of Gordon's work in sporting culture!

Laurence Halsted Performance Consultant and Coach, True Athlete Project May 16, 2024

We highly recommend Gordon and Working With Parents in Sport and will continue to work with them in the future. He conducted a workshop for our coaches on enhancing communication with parents, leading to increased confidence among the team.

 Additionally, WWPIS organised a session for parents of squad members, guiding them on how to support their child during their competitive sports journey. This initiative has significantly boosted positive squad parent engagement.

Melanie Sanders, Chairman, Technical Committee Member, High Performance Coach, Richmond Gymnastics Association May 15, 2024

Manchester United’s Women's Youth Academy aspires to create a positive, friendly, safe, and open learning environment that maximises individual player potential and amplifies team effectiveness. A critical part of achieving this is to have the coaches, parents and players working effectively together.

This season Gordon has come into the programme and created bespoke content that has engaged the parents in a positive way and got them to reflect on their own practices and behaviours. This has been a great education tool which has helped them communicate more effectively and support their daughters.

Matt Johnson Interim, Head of Women's Football, Manchester United May 14, 2024

We have used WWPIS for around 12 months to develop our communication channels between coaches, gymnasts and parents. We started by developing a bespoke work book for our gymnasts to help identify objectives, identify concerns and worries and to provoke conversations with their parents. More recently WWPIS has run a zoom meeting for our squad parents which built on the work book and helped parents understand their role in their child’s journey. Would recommend their services in a world that is increasingly turning the spotlight on the support structure clubs put in place for their members.

David Brooke Owner, Saadi Gymnastics March 7, 2023

WWPIS has been a valuable addition to LFE’s player care programme to support academy parents, players and staff too. The feedback has been strong from both face-to-face and online deliveries.

Gordon operates the right way in a challenging space, upholding values aligned to those of our organisation. He has been helping to make progress across the EFL academies and I see two key strengths in this work which are that it doesn’t tell people how to parent (it is listening, observations, considerations) and is delivered in a tactful manner.

Also his experience of  working across different sports and countries harvesting learning from all over the world has been a huge benefit to those academies who have engaged.

Simon Williams Life Skills Manager, League Football Education March 6, 2023

Gordon has delivered to parents and coaches at our club now for the past two seasons and continues to be one of the leading experts within this challenging and complex area of being a sporting parent.

The education Gordon is bringing to the environment for all to learn and share has been brilliant and continues to make a huge difference.

His books within this area have massively helped highlight the challenges parents and coaches have within sport. The books certainty help understand ways to manage children on the journey and also helps gain an insight into how we can all help support children who play sport to enjoy it more.

Mike Scott Head of Coaching, Wolverhampton Wanderers November 25, 2022

Engaging directly with parents and supporting our coaches to work closely with them is a top priority at British Gymnastics and we have begun work with Gordon who is supporting us as an NGB but also delivering directly to parents. He has been an immediate hit - his authentic, knowledgeable delivery style combined with his experiences as both a parent and a coach really enabling him to connect with the audience. Thanks for your support so far Gordon; we are really looking forward to working with you over the next few years.

Alex McGregor Performance Pathway Manager, British Gymnastics August 12, 2022

WWPIS is a fantastic organisation who have done so much research into the benefits of working and collaborating with parents in sport, both from a holistic development and performance point of view,. The delivery and programme is both insightful and fun, and will always provoke questions and reflections, essentially meaning everyone becomes a better support to the participants. I would not only highly recommend working with WWPIS, but feel it is a necessary requirement for any sports organisation.

Scott Hann MBE Director of Coaching, South Essex Gymnastics Club August 9, 2022

Our partnership work with Working With Parents In Sport has helped us to gain a greater understanding of the support our members want and need.  Gordon is extremely knowledgeable in the area of parental engagement and he has a deep understanding of this from different perspectives.

Gordon has a great rapport with both parents and coaches, we find WWPIS workshops very engaging and thought provoking. We have also found Gordon to be extremely reliable and adaptable in his delivery, we look forward to working further with WWPIS in the future.

Sam Ingram Regional Development Officer, Judo Scotland August 8, 2022

Gordon and WWPIS provided our Year 6 to 9 sports scholars and their parents with two fabulous, informative and engaging webinars.

Webinar One gave all the parents the opportunity to develop an understanding of their role in supporting their child on the sporting journey they are on, whilst Webinar Two helped forge that positive relationship between parent and child on the journey.

We cannot recommend this wonderful experience more and we look forward to Gordon and WWPIS hosting some more webinars for us again very soon.

Anthony Gillam Head of Prep School Sport, Berkhamsted School May 19, 2021

The partnership with Gordon and WWPIS has been hugely valuable to the support offered in the Cricket Scotland Pathway.  Feedback from the parents and coaches who have attended the workshops has been excellent.  The content has allowed both groups to reflect on their current levels of support and behaviours, looking at ways in which we can all work together to help our young athletes enjoy their experience more.

We look forward to continuing to work together with WWPIS to provide quality support for all players, staff and families involved in the Cricket Scotland pathway programme.

Gordon Drummond Head of Performance Pathway, Cricket Scotland May 18, 2021

Surrey FA have benefited hugely from Gordon’s work, allowing us to reach more people, with more engaging content than in previous seasons. The workshops provide great personal insight into Gordon’s journey and leave attendees with so much to think about moving forward – the feedback from our coaches and parents has been hugely positive and we look forward to working with WWPIS again next season.

Ashley Gumbrell Education and Workforce Manager, Surrey FA May 18, 2021

Leinster Rugby Domestic Coaching department have worked with Gordon from WWPIS over the past year to deliver a series of excellent webinars for all our Mini Coordinators in Leinster Rugby.

Gordon was extremely professional and understanding in his delivery around parental engagement, communication strategies and how to be influential when supporting parent coaches.

We learned ways to be creative and challenging so as to enhance the sporting experience for young players. Gordon’s presentations were very professional, passionate, considerate and realistic all at the same time.

We would highly recommend WWPIS to any organisation who wants to work and support parental engagement and help parents and coaches understand the reasons children play sports. The training received and the partnership we have in place will forge strong relationships into the future with all our club’s and schools within Leinster.

Declan O'Brien Coach & Player Development Manager, Leinster Rugby May 18, 2021

As a Club we wanted to support our existing messaging (to our swimmers parents) through using the expertise of Gordon at WWPIS. From the start to the end of the process Gordon was engaging and supportive of the direction we wanted things to go. I can only recommend other Clubs using a service like this to enhance and support the engagement they have with their athletes parents.

Kevin Brooks Head Coach, Wycombe District Swimming Club February 17, 2021

After listening to Gordon deliver for a Swim England Connected in Coaches workshop, I felt it was a must to start a relationship between WWPIS and Mount Kelly. Gordon delivered an hour workshop to which over 100 parents attended remotely. Extremely insightful and thought provoking for not just our parent body but coaches as well."

Emma Collings-Barnes Director of Swimming, Mount Kelly College January 26, 2021

Swim Ulster recommend the Working with Parents in Sport Programme.

We have found it to be an excellent tool in supporting the parents of our young members. The workshops are great and the feedback from the parents has been so positive.  The coach 'Engage' programme has been a great benefit in developing good relationships between parents and coaches to ensure working in harmony for the athletes.  These workshops add to the development of essential soft skills for our coaching team.

The programmes are continually developing and adding on additional aspects, whilst the resources are very effective.

Gordon is so easy to work with - professional, very supportive and friendly, always going the extra mile to deliver the highest quality time after time.

Ruth Mcquillan CLUB & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, SWIM ULSTER November 21, 2020

'A real privilege to be involved with WWPIS, and excited to be part of such a vital programme looking to provide a transparent and realistic parental engagement journey through the academy phases. At Derby County, we aim to embrace the support given by all our parents and at the same time guide and advise about the highs and lows involved in the process.'

Simon Ord Head of Education, Derby County Academy November 17, 2020

Gordon's personality and subject knowledge is a real standout. His energy and passion to make a difference in the world of parenting in sport is inspirational and I am delighted that my private football academy R.B.Coaching Ltd has the honour to provide its members with WWPIS content on a regular basis through our sporting partnership.

Ryan Byrne Founder and Manager of RB Football Academy June 19, 2020

I have had the opportunity to get to know Gordon the last few years and am honoured to have become their Canadian partner to deliver the messaging and resources of Working in Parents in Sport (WWPIS).  The various resources of WWPIS have been a great complement to our own work to provide adult youth sports stakeholders the insight to shift their mindset from "us vs. them" to engaging & working in collaboration, focusing on what matters the most, the kid's best interests.

Glen Mulcahy Founder Paradigm Sports, Canada June 16, 2020

It was a pleasure to engage Gordon via WWPIS to provide structure and innovative resources to assist Triathlon NSW in engaging with parents and coaches in a common and vital component of our pathway. Our shared philosophy and Gordon's resources have helped to evolve our programs with complete transparency and engagement at all levels seamlessly.  

Mick Delamotte Coach and Pathway Manager, Triathlon New South Wales June 16, 2020

The ‘Great Sports Parenting’ workshop that Gordon delivered was very well received by our Academy parents. It was clear to see that they were engaged in the session and found the content both relevant and informative whilst also valuing the relaxed, interactive format of the session. The workshop provided parents with very relatable examples of the challenges they encounter, allowing them to reflect on their current practice and take away some helpful strategies to implement. We look forward to expanding on the work we do with our parents and recognise the value that this content has within our programme.

Thanks again for the workshop Gordon, we hope to do something similar in the future.

Kara Gonzalez Bath Rugby Academy Operations Manager March 3, 2020

Gordon delivered an extremely engaging and relevant workshop which provided excellent guidance to parents on how to best manage the challenges faced as a 'sports parent'.  I would recommend Gordon and Working With Parents in Sport to other organisations looking to develop a process of parental engagement.

Marc Scott Executive Manager, Ulster Hockey January 20, 2020

Gordon delivered an insightful workshop to parents involved in the first tier of our Talent Pathway, as part of our pilot project of Parental Engagement. Gordon tailored the content of the workshop to allow the parents to both relate and engage with the session, with a great balance of interaction through fun games and discussions. Gordon has lots of tools and ideas from his experiences as a coach and parent himself. Feedback from the parents has been very positive and we look forward to welcoming Gordon to our Aspire National Conference in February to deliver a workshop for coaches and furthermore, developing a future partnership with WWPIS.

Charlie Ford Basketball England Talent Pathway Manager October 31, 2019

We had workshops for both coaches and parents from Gordon and both were received enthusiastically, the perfect balance of fun games and discussions.  We learnt a lot and have already put some knowledge into practice.  Working with Gordon is something we will continue as a club to do, understanding that this is an area that encourages and supports both coaches and parents.

Jo Rees Vice Chair, Marlow Hockey Club October 22, 2019

Having met Gordon last year I felt it was important to ask Gordon over to Leinster Rugby to share his message. Gordon is very engaging and has lots of tools and ideas for involving and informing parents along their Childs Sporting journey. His talk was really enjoyable and gave lots of ideas for us development staff to take home and use in clubs and schools across the province.
We all know the importance of parents in children sport and Gordon gives us the tools in how to involve them. I would highly recommend Gordon for any sports clubs/ organisations/ governing bodies.

John Bagnall Coach Development Officer, Leinster Rugby September 23, 2019

Gordon delivered workshops to both coaches and parents at QPR in the Community Trust and they were both engaging and informative. The level of interaction was excellent, I thoroughly recommend working with Gordon and look forward to doing more together in the future. Absolute rockstar!

Paul Mitchell Education Manager, QPR in the Community Trust April 8, 2019

"Sport Northern Ireland have worked in partnership with Working with Parents in Sport to build capacity within a number of our national governing bodies in relation to supporting sporting parents and coaches. Gordon facilitated two excellent mentor training sessions with thirty mentors across five sports. Feedback from the tutors has been very positive and Gordon is continuing working with the governing bodies to develop a more strategic approach to how each sport engages in the sporting parent arena.”

Michael Cooke Club and coach development officer, Sport Northern Ireland March 5, 2019

Gordon provided us with an enjoyable and informative night presenting to parents of players on our performance pathway. Great content with some fun games mixed in. We are delighted to be working with such a forward thinking organisation and look forward to our future work together.

Ryan Prentice Club and coach development officer, Ulster Badminton February 21, 2019

Gordon delivered a fantastic workshop to support the IFA in developing working relationships with both parents and coaches.  Highly recommend and look forward to our partnership developing.

Michael Carvill, Volunteer Development & Policy Officer at Irish Football Association February 5, 2019

I was delighted to hear from Gordon recently on his work on “Working With Parents in Sport” WWPIS

Parents are such a big part of our game and are becoming more important so it was great to hear from someone who has experience from both “sides of the fence” as a coach and parent himself.

Gordon demonstrated how sporting clubs and governing bodies should embrace parent involvement and concepts on how to connect the clubs, coaches and players with their parents successfully.

I am keen to hear from or work with WWPIS in the near future.

Ian Hughes, Ulster Hockey July 27, 2018