Meet the Mentor: Darren Lawrence

Posted on: 28 June 2019 by Emily Lake

Coach Darren Lawrence shares some of the transition challenges athletes face and meeting Sir Bobby Charlton

Darren qualified as a Professional Personal Performance Coach with the Coaching Academy in 2017. After studying for a degree in Sports Studies at the University of Chichester, he has spent the last 20 years working in sport in various roles for a range of organisations including Canterbury City Council, Sport England, Hertfordshire Football Association, and The Football Association. In 2016 he set up his own coaching and consulting company and now works with individual clients and organisations on their personal development and business improvement. He is also an assessor for Quest, the UK Quality Scheme for sport and leisure. Darren has been an Associate of Switch the Play since 2016 and is particularly interested in the areas of effective transition, improving productivity, enhancing wellbeing, and fulfilling potential.

Why do you enjoy coaching athletes?

Athletes are driven and motivated people, down to earth and with a range of transferable skills that can be used very effectively in other areas.

What common challenges do athletes face when it comes to transition?

I think there are many challenges from a loss of routine and identity to not seeing the same people every day such as training partners or their coach. Getting used to having more time where training sessions used to be can be tough. Many share the same issue of trying to recognise how the skills they have acquired as an athlete can be translated into the workplace.

What do athletes get out of one-to-ones with a mentor or coach?

Clarity, direction and understanding the next steps that will help them get to where they want to be.

What’s your most memorable sporting event?

There are so many! I’ve been fortunate to go to so many events, meeting so many people, even playing at Wembley! But I think the moment that tops it all was meeting Sir Bobby Charlton in 2014. A real legend.

If you could invite 5 famous people to a dinner party, who would it be?

Sir Alex Ferguson

Milton Jones

Tim Booth (lead singer of James)

Fearne Cotton

Lady Diana