The AFYA leadership team is made up of experienced coaches, trainers and teachers who have a background in a variety of sports including Rugby Union, Netball, Tennis, Athletics, Swimming, Golf and Cricket. Other disciplines include Combat Training, Judo and Taekwondo plus Fencing, Golf, Climbing and Bushcraft.
The AFYA team consists of internationally recognised coaches and sports educators from around the world, stretching as far as Australia and New Zealand.
We have incorporated multiple skills and sports programmes into an approach to educating and training young children and athletes in order to provide holistic, enjoyable and demanding courses.
The courses we run have been specially designed to incorporate insights that have generated some of the best teams and athletes across the world.
Ben Wood
Managing Director
About our tribal sign
AFYA is Swahili for ‘Health and Well Being’ and this underpins our philosophy as a company.
We combined this with the West African symbol of the Hwe Mu Dua which stresses the need and importance of the quality in human endeavour.
The two messages define who we are and what we aim to give to and inspire in the people, schools, teams and institutions we work with.
Our Leadership Team Includes:
Ben Wood
Chief Executive Officer and Head of Leadership Development
Ben founded AFYA with the aim of giving children and young adults an opportunity to express and develop themselves in sport both as individuals and members of a team.
Before founding AFYA he worked as an executive coach and corporate recruiter in the life sciences sector where he helped multinationals identify, recruit and nurture high-performing individuals for their respective companies.
Ben has always been passionate about sport and its potential and ability to unlock and develop talent – both sporting and personal.
Prior to working in industry Ben was an Army Officer and HALO Trust Country Representative in Angola where he recruited, trained and led ex-UNITA guerrillas to work in support of numerous charities including Save The Children, Oxfam, Concern and ICRC.
Ben is an RFU coach and has over 25 years of coaching and training experience in a variety of settings.
He was educated at the University of Leicester, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and The College of Law Chester and is a proud father of three children.
Outside of being MD Ben runs the Leadership and Team Development Programme.
James Wade
Chief Operating Officer and Head of Training and Development
James joined the AFYA team in November 2014 and brings an invaluable amount of rugby knowledge and expertise.
James has over a decade of experience in the Premiership, working for Sale Sharks and London Wasps during periods of great success for both clubs. He is also head coach for Oxford University Rugby Club.
His role at Wasps involved co-ordinating conditioning and medical departments in order to produce elite athletes and also co-ordinate appropriate playing programmes for players.
In his first year, eight of the senior Academy players played for the 1st XV, four played England Under-20s in the World Cup and one was named IRB Player of the Tournament.
James’ role in AFYA is to lead and coordinate the Training and Development Programmes that are implemented across the AFYA client base. He works closely with the Programme Leaders to help them design and deliver the course content and he ensures that the transition and coordination across the divisions is seamless.
He is also the Programme Leader for the Team Development Programme (TDP).
Alex Uprichard
Head of Marketing & Business Development
Alex joined the AFYA team in 2018. She is a mother of 2
Alex has a Business Studies Degree from Manchester Met and worked in advertising for 15 years at major companies including McCann Erickson, Mediavest and MTV.
After having children, she set up an online network for parents called Mums in the Know- all about making family life easier and kids lives fun. The site grew to have over 500,000 readers and social media followers and the company was acquired by Lifecyle Marketing in 2015.
Alex also works with sports specialist physiotherapy practice Harris & Ross running marketing & business development.
Aswell as having a passion for growing start ups and working with businesses to target audiences effectively, Alex and her family are huge sports enthusiasts. When not playing netball, running or doing yoga, Alex can be found supporting her children and husband in an array of sporting endeavours.
Alex aims to grow AFYA into a nationally recognised provider of quality sports coaching and development.
Meet some of our coaches:
Andy Titterrell
Wasps, former England and British & Irish Lions
Andy began his professional career as a rugby player in 2001 at Sale Sharks where he won the European Challenge Cup Medals and The Premiership Title in 2006.
He has played for Gloucester and Leeds Carnegie and was the Head of Strength & Conditioning for The Academy. He also had a season in Scotland with Edinburgh competing in the Rabbo Direct.
He is currently forwards coach at Wasps.
Scott Pearson
Strength & Conditioning
Scott has a BSc in Coaching Science from MMU and an MSc in Strength & Conditioning from the University of Salford. He is currently Strength & Conditioning Coach for British Cycling where he works with able bodied and Paralympian athletes from novice up to elite/ Olympic standard.
Scott has previously worked with Worcester Warriors, Stoke City and Sale Sharks in Lead / Head of Strength & Conditioning roles.
Scott’s role within AFYA is to work with James and Nathan and formulate and implement Strength & Conditioning programmes that sit within SDP, PDP and TDP as well providing generic advice and input for children and young athletes. Key elements of his role also include advice on Nutrition and Life Style Management.
Sue Hawkins
Independent Psychologist & Psychotherapist at Psychological Services
Our independent child psychologist, Sue has 17 years experience as a psychotherapist working with adults, children & adolescents and has worked with a wide range of emotional and mental health issues.
Sue is also a HPC registered psychologist with specialisms in trauma treatment, stress management, assessment of learning difficulties, autism, hypnosis & Mindfulness Based Approaches.
Sue assists AFYA by providing input and specialist knowledge to our training and education programmes so that our aim of promoting Health and Wellbeing is achieved.
Martin Gleeson
Former England rugby international
Martin is a former professional rugby league footballer and coach. He represented both Great Britain and England internationally. In 2002 and again in 2010, he won the Super League and in 2004 he won the Challenge Cup. His previous clubs include Wigan, Huddersfield, St Helens, Warrington, Hull and Salford.
Jessica Anderson
England Judo
Jess is a former British Schools Judo Champion and at 15, took Silver medal at the British National Championships- ranking number 2 in Great Britain. She has twice represented England for the UK School Games, medalling bronze one year and silver the other. Jess also represented England at training camps and competitions both nationally and internationally.
Jess is now a UKCC level 2 coach and fully licensed through the British Judo Association and UK Sport. She is also a coach for SKK and AYAC judo clubs, and has her own business ‘Classroom Judo.’
Chris Jones
Former professional rugby player
Chris is an English rugby union player who played as a lock or flanker for Yorkshire Carnegie in the RFU Championship. In 2003 he was nominated for the PRA Young Player of the year Award and was part of the England A team that beat France A, Scotland A and Italy A in their 2003 Six Nations. The same year, he played for England against the Barbarians at Twickenham,
Andy Kyriacou
Former professional rugby player, coach
Andy is a former professional rugby union footballer who played at hooker for Cardiff Blues, Saracens and Sale Sharks. On the international stage, he represented Ireland A and England u21.
Simon Cushman
Sports Scientist/ S&C Coach
Simon has a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science and an MSc in Strength and Conditioning from the University of Chester. Education still plays a large part in his life, currently lecturing at Reaseheath College as well as working with individual athletes and squads from football, triathlon, rugby, hockey and dressage developing physical capacities as well as providing detailed profiling and preparing them for competition.
Simon is currently researching into the physical capacities of dressage riders, the force-velocity profile of different athletes and recovery and monitoring in team sports athletes. Specifically, this is using GPS technology and recovery tests to improve our understanding of the game and how they body responds to competition. He has a passion for rugby and human performance where he has always found an interest. Having played and supported at a youth level, he believes that if players can take advantage of the support that can be made available to them, their long term athletic development will be improved and their injury potential reduced.
Simon holds a respect for all disciplines in sport science and takes a holistic approach to all levels of coaching, recognising the importance of all influences to an athlete to make them well rounded and world class. He works closely with Scott to develop some of the key development plans that are offered by AFYA.
Simon Ogdon
Professional coach
Simon joined the AFYA team in 2018 and has over 10 years experience in coach & player development working with Sale Sharks & England Rugby. His role at Sale Sharks was to lead a coach development programme for over 70 coaches that supported the identification and development of the highest quality of future Sale Sharks & England players.
Simon currently works with England Rugby in Coach Development & Coach Mentor roles which support the self-development of grassroots coaches, current and former professional rugby players. Simon also runs his own consultancy business which aims to challenge and support individuals and organisations to exceed their potential.
Our training programmes can be divided into three sections. They can be undertaken individually or as part of an ongoing development programme as we track the children and young athletes through their initial sporting life.
