Home Testimonials

Testimonials

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

Gordon delivered such an insightful workshop. This kind of information is essential for supporting coaches and parents. By adding it to our coaching degree programme I think it shows the importance of engaging in a broader view of this discipline. I highly recommend this to other HE Institutions working with and developing young coaches.

Richard Cheetham MBE Senior Fellow Sports Coaching, University of Winchester October 27, 2018

“Engagement with Parents is a key area for us at England Rugby. As part of our parental engagement we are working together with Working with Parents in Sports to promote a rugby specific version of the Great Sports Parenting pocketbook. This pocketbook is a great resource for parents and is in line with our philosophy of being player centred and is one we are happy to support. We look forward to our on-going work with WWPIS to help support parents in making rugby union an enjoyable and inclusive sport”

Chris Sigsworth, Schools Operation Manager, England Rugby July 31, 2018

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

‘I found WWPIS very interesting and think it would be a superb programme to roll out to our parents.  Having spoken about it as a staff team we are keen to pursue this work further in the future’.

Ruth McQuillan, Club & Workforce Development Officer, Swim Ulster July 27, 2018

‘Gordon came to deliver at the Northern Ireland Club & Workforce Development Network for us recently.  Parental engagement is a topic of interest for many, and Gordon did a great job of highlighting some key concepts involved in creating positive and constructive relationships between clubs, coaches, parents and young participants.  Not only was there some really useful concepts to think about, but most importantly Gordon helped the group to identify practical ideas that could be used to help the clubs and coaches that they work.’

 

Simon Toole, Coaching Consultant, Sport Northern Ireland July 27, 2018

Translate »