Creator

I was sport mad growing up, playing anything and everything but football was my real passion. After leaving school I gained a City & Guilds Recreation and Leisure Studies qualification at NESCOT College, doing my work experience placements at Leatherhead Leisure Centre and then Donning’s Leisure Centre (Redhill), where I stayed on to do some part time football coaching over the summer months.

I started my first full time job as a Lifeguard in September 1985 at Cheam Leisure Centre (formerly Cheam Baths) and it was there that I first ventured into teaching for swimming during the school swimming lessons. After 18 months I decided to spread my wings a bit and joined the Camp America programme at an amazing summer camp venue in New Jersey, USA. During this time, I coached football and swimming and despite the very long hours and hard graft, had a totally awesome time!!

Back home and my next stop was Westcroft Leisure Centre (Carshalton) for a couple of years, where I took on a Supervisory role but also continued to coach a number of sports and activities. I also coached a couple of junior football courses for the FA and Fulham FC.

Other than working on the Camp America programme, I had always worked at a large public facility. In 1991 I started a new chapter at a brand new private corporate facility located in the picturesque village of Kingswood, Surrey. It was there that I was to spend a very happy 26 years, working my way up to Duty Manager, Manager and then Regional Manager level. I continued to teach and coach all ages in various sports and play activities and also became a Personal Trainer. It was during these countless hours of coaching sports and play activities that I found, all too often, there just wasn’t the right equipment to hand when it was needed.

Dave Foard