TESTIMONIALS
“It has been a privilege to work alongside Tom and bear witness to his work as a leader and a coach.
Tom is one of those rare individuals who can manage and lead as well as he can coach and educate.
From organising a department and the systems it depends on to facilitating a world class training session, Tom is a very special kind of generalist.”
NICK winkelman PhD
Head of Athletic Performance & Science IRFU
“Tom was engaged to consult with GB Taekwondo in order to prepare our athletes for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as the broader men's and women's athlete groups.
He took the time to connect with staff throughout the organisation, particularly the head coaches of each athlete, crafting individualised preparation plans tailored for each competitor. The GB Taekwondo athletes achieved two gold medals and one silver medal.
His skill in working closely with both athletes and staff, while simultaneously transforming the training culture around physiological development, showcases his remarkable ability to quickly grasp high-performance environments and implement effective changes.”
Gary hall mbe
Performance Director
“Collaborating with Tom during my Olympic camp was one of the best enhancements we could have made at GB Taekwondo.
His contribution went beyond just sharing valuable knowledge and insights for my sessions; he also guided me in comprehending and committing to my fitness goals.
Tom was always ready to address my questions while adapting to the unpredictable nature of Taekwondo, especially as we prepared to peak for the Olympic Games.
An incredible mind and an outstanding coach! ”
Caden cunningham
Olympic Silver Medalist
Taekwondo
“I hired Tom when I was in the role of Director of Rugby at Hull KR.
Tom was highly impressive in the initial interview though it was only when we began working together I witnessed first hand his consistent approach to excellent leadership.
This started with exceptional ability to pivot & innovate, then bring his team on the journey. Managers stay in their lane and conform, great leaders know which rules need to be left as they are, which can be bent and which can be broken to accomplish the teams goal.
Tom has a wonderful eye for doing this.
Excellent Leaders also deliver on their word and have a high standard of individual performance, again areas Tom excelled in, enabling him to gain respect and trust from the teams he was leading and myself.
Finally emotional intelligence is a non-negotiable component of leadership that Tom displayed at a high level day to day through his ability to understand individual needs and desires. He listens with intent and flexes his leadership style to the mood of the group at that particular moment.
If you are looking to improve your innovation skills, your personal accountability and emotional intelligence you will find no better person to do this with than Tom ”
jamie peacock mbe
DAN mcfarland
Ulster Rugby Head Coach
2018-2024
“Running a performance programme at a club the size of Ulster requires top level leadership & organisational skills.
Tom excelled at this for 6 years and I loved working alongside him.
He has a solution orientated mindset that inspires those who work under his guidance and provided innovative paths for us as a group.
Tom has an excellent ability to bring people together under a multi-disciplinary approach, always bringing people along with him.
In addition to his leadership Tom is a ‘proper coach’, understanding how to teach, guide, cue, encourage and push when needed”
“During our time working together Tom was a constant source of support for me, but more importantly, to act as a sounding board and to hold me accountable in the development of a new approach to training.
Tom Challenged me relentlessly to learn and this was done from a place of genuine interest in my development.
His unique skillset across multiple sports allows him to approach his work from a different angle, allowing him to see the complete picture”
Kevin Geary
Head of Athletic Performance
Bristol Bears
Shane Carney
Head of Performance
Scarlets Rugby
“Tom’s insight & knowledge into developing and cultivating a high performance environment is second to none.
As a leader, coach & person Tom has inspired me to continuously mould my environment with both the microscope & helicopter view in my mind. Encouraging me to strive for long term strategies & frameworks to daily challenges, ensuring success is not just short term but lasts the test of time.
His ability to empower and appropriately challenge those around him ensures that both his support staff and athletes are constantly striving to be the best version of themselves. Without the help & guidance from Tom over the years I truly believe I would not have developed into the practitioner I am today.”
david drake, PhD
Undergraduate Lead Setanta College
Performance Consultant
“Tom is a leader, fundamentally because he practices leadership time and time again, year on year in performance environments that require a high level of leadership skills.
These skills are centred around your ability to sense and feel an environment and then do what is right for that performance environment!
Your ability to be your best self consistently over time enables you to pull people together under high pressure situations to work as a team, I feel this is his greatest skill set as a leader”
“Tom truly understand what high performance is and the intricacies of how to operate as a leader and coach within that space.
Having worked alongside Tom in elite sport for over 6 years he taught me what effective collaboration should look and feel like and how to cultivate it.
He developed me to think like a leader even though it might not be your job title.I have seen first hand how Tom was innovative and facilitated a positive culture change within a team and created buy in from players and support staff.
The personal and professional development from Tom has allowed me to progress in my career securing multiple job promotions.”
Matt Godfrey
Hinsta Performance Coach
Former Head of Performance Derry GAA
“For five years I witnessed first hand Tom’s ability to lead and navigate those around him (both players & staff) in the dynamic and fast paced environment that is professional rugby.
His ability to keep the end goal in mind, especially in challenging periods, along with thinking outside the box allowed the coaching staff to deliver a program that continually developed whilst engaging the players and wider support staff.
His ability to coach is first class, his ability to coach a group of professional group of coaches to continually develop and stay motivated is exceptional”
matt maguire
Head of Athletic Performance
Spain Rugby Union
“Tom had been a friend, mentor & boss in that order.
His democratic leadership style is supported by a coaching practice that is finely balanced between the art of coaching and strong scientific underpinnings.
subsequently his management style is one i’ve tried to adopt in my own practice ”
mikey kiely, Phd
Head of Athletic Performance
Connacht Rugby / Limerick Hurling GAA
“Working with Tom has helped me to have a clear idea of how to navigate through difficult situations, busy moments, busy periods of my life and have the discipline to take care of myself.
Tom & I reconnected at a perfect time in my career, I was able to walk through my challenges and he was able to understand where I wanted to go.
Tom is an outstanding coach and brought pertinent examples of his background, experiences and analogies to create impactful learning points for me.
What I liked most was his ability to take in all the different information I threw at him and he helped me become singularly focused on one thing at a time which enabled me to make progress both personally and professionally.”
Peter Donnolly
Head of Athletic Performance
Ireland 7s
