Posted: December 7, 2004

Athletics: Professor David Collins Appointed Uk Athletics Performance Director

From David Monti

(c) 2004 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

UK Athletics can today announce that Professor David Collins has been appointed as the new Performance Director.

David has been appointed after a rigorous and unique selection process for this crucial position in athletics.

UK Athletics has taken great care to identify the skills needed to move the World Class Programme forward from its current position. During the last seven years the programme has evolved and the skills that are required for the new Performance Director are not necessarily the same as those required in the past.

UK Athletics particularly looked for a leader with strong change management and influencing skills and someone who could focus on all the elements that make a difference in elite sport. In addition, the person appointed needed to be aware of the key relationships (coach/athlete and support team) needed to produce elite performance.

David has worked with elite sportspeople in a number of sports for over ten years, including members of the GB athletics team at the 2004 Olympics and two IAAF World Athletics Championships.

On appointing Professor Collins, UK Athletics Chief Executive David Moorcroft said:

“I am delighted to be introducing Professor David Collins as our new Performance Director. We have searched long and hard to ensure we have found the right person and have thoroughly tested the candidates.

“David’s background of working with elite athletes, as an academic and in the military has shown he has the critical skills to be an excellent leader of the programme of support to our Lottery funded elite athletes. He has great respect amongst those he has worked with and we feel this is of the utmost importance.

“I believe that David will make a great leader and I have great faith in what he will achieve.”

Professor David Collins said:

“It’s a great challenge and I am delighted to have been offered and accepted the job. Over the next few months I will spend time listening to those who already make a significant contribution to athletics and indeed other elite sport in the UK. I also intend to use the knowledge I have gained from my involvement in other world class programmes and transfer the known successes from other models into ours. I am very much looking forward to working at UK Athletics.”

Professor Collins’ appointment is endorsed by leading GB athletes Steve Backley OBE and Chris Tomlinson.

Steve said: “I met Dave in 1995 at the beginning of my preparation for the 1996 Olympic Games. After a short meeting it became clear that I wanted Dave to become an integral part of my support team. Dave's appreciation of the stresses of top end competition, constant quest for cutting edge knowledge and thorough attention to detail gave me the confidence of knowing that I had prepared in the best possible way. In short, I have found Dave very professional and conscientious in his work, his diverse knowledge and skills will allow him to be a great Performance Director.”

Chris said: “I am really pleased Dave has got the job. I’ve worked with him for a couple of years now and he has really helped me change my thinking in relation to my technique, training and performance at championships. He has also given me great confidence in my ability and understands elite athletes and their needs. He is so approachable and a great guy to talk to.”

His appointment is also endorsed by Sir Andrew Foster, Liz Nicholl, Lord Coe and Steve Cram.

Sir Andrew Foster, Chair of the Project Review Board, said: "One of the major recommendations from my report was to ensure that we carried out a rigorous process to find the best Performance Director to take us to Beijing 2008. The appointment of David Collins, with his strong mix of leadership skills and managerial experience, is testament to the professional and detailed recruitment process that has been carried out to fill this important position. I wish him every success in this exciting and challenging role.”

Liz Nicholl, UK Sport's Acting Chief Executive, said: "Today's announcement is a significant one for the future of athletics in the UK. David Collins' appointment - taken together with that of Zara Hyde Peters - means that all the right ingredients are in place to build a framework for sustainable success. We look forward to working together with David to make that vision a reality and maximise the return on the Lottery's investment in the sport."

Lord Coe, Chairman of London 2012 and IAAF Council member, said: “This is an important appointment for British athletics. I know the selection group was incredibly impressed with David and he has the confidence of many of our leading athletes.”

Steve Cram, Chairman of the English Institute of Sport, added: “It’s a great appointment. A new fresh approach and I look forward to working with David over the coming years.”

UK Athletics would also like to thank and acknowledge the work of the Executive Search and Leadership Services Consultancy Whitehead Mann, who conducted a global search for the position, and Development Dimensions International UK Ltd, who took our candidates through leadership assessment

This position is and supported and funded as part of the Lottery funded World Class Programme by UK Sport.

Professor David Collins

David has had a highly successful career in three different areas: elite sports performance, academic and military.

Sport

Has worked as a sports psychologist with track and field athletes over the last ten years and with the GB athletics team at the 2004 Olympics and two IAAF World Championships (2001 & 2003)

Integral part of Steve Backley’s support team since 1996

Currently consultant for UK Athletics Sports Science panel and member of BOA Psychology Steering Group

Consultant sports psychologist for BBC TV series ‘Born to Win’ in 2003

Sport Psychologist for Rugby Football Union, working with national team, in 1989-91

Experience as a Strength & Conditioning specialist with national teams and international performers and now within professional sport

Designed and implemented Sport Science Educational Packages for Welsh Rugby Union and Professional Footballers Association

Attended 26 World Championships, 5 Olympic Games, 2 Commonwealth Games and 18 European Championships with various different sports

Team manager for speed skating (winter Olympics, World & European Championships) and skeleton bobsleigh (World Championships)

Coaching involvement in rugby and karate

Black belt karate and judo
Also participated in rugby, canoeing, mountaineering, water polo and has completed five marathons
GB international at American football
National level boxing

Academic

Currently Chair of Physical Education & Sport Performance at Edinburgh University, formerly as Head of Department

Previously Reader and Senior Lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University, Senior Lecturer at St. Mary’s College and Visiting Professor at Pennsylvania State University

Developed Masters programmes in different areas of sport performance

Over 80 research publications

School PE teacher in 1978-85

Academic Qualifications:
Borough Road College (now Brunel University) - BEd Honours in PE, Mathematics & Education
Pennsylvania State University - MSc Distinction in Psychology of Sport & Physical Activity
University of Surrey - PhD in Psychology

Military

Commissioned service in the Royal Marines and then in the Reserve