Email: J.D.OCallaghan@herts.ac.uk Telephone: 01707 281009
Contact John about:
- National Governing Bodies of Sport
- Coaching
- Sport Clubs
- Sports Development
- Child Protection and Safeguarding in Sport
- Community Sports Networks
- Herts Youth Games
- Facilities Development
- 16-24 Programmes
- Youth Diversionary Programmes(Sport)
- Grant Aid/Funding
John's Profile
Likes: Travel, reading, Irish music, and Point to Points
Dislikes: Those who take themselves too seriously
Couldn’t live without: Humour; Sky Sports; Matt Eames’ travel directions; Graham Keen’s IT tips!
Memorable Sporting Moment: Attending the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Best Advice Received: “Learn like you might live forever: live like you might die tomorrow!”
After leaving Loughborough University in 1979 I played semi-professional rugby in the South of France for one season before embarking upon a 16 year career in local government – finishing as a Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (….now an extinct species!). Subsequently I was employed as the General Manager of the Welsh Sports Association – the independent and autonomous umbrella body for the National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs) in Wales, and served as an officer on the Board of an NGB – Wales Rugby League.
I also spent almost three years as a full time volunteer, at the helm of a multi sports community association – made up of some 30+ teams in 9 different sports - before embarking upon a 16 month round the world tour, borne out of a very welcome mid-life crisis!
What now seems like many moons ago, I played at a representative level in both rugby codes - league and union - and I am a former captain of Pontypridd RFC. I have been employed by the Herts Sports Partnership since late March 2007 and remain totally committed to ensuring that sport gains its due recognition as a very powerful and cost effective vehicle for social change - with an ability to positively impact on many of the big political agendas, including social inclusion, community cohesion, educational attainment, economic development, and crime reduction.
From personal experience I know what a massive difference an involvement in sport can make to individual and community life, and of the hugely important role undertaken by the vast array of sports clubs, who, on the back of enormous voluntary effort, work tirelessly to provide sporting opportunities each and every day of the week.
I hope to make support of those clubs, one of my main priorities during my time with Herts Sport Partnership.