Zachariah Okusi
Hi, I’m Zach and I joined Sport 4 Life in September 2022, having previously worked as a volunteer coordinator for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. During my time there, I had the opportunity to work closely with the countries participating in the games and learn about their cultures and values. It was through this experience that I discovered Sport4Life and was immediately impressed by the organisation’s values and the positive impact it has in the West Midlands.
As Sports Coordinator, I am passionate about creating experiences for young people that allow them to develop their personal skills, make new friends, learn about other cultures and most importantly, have fun playing sports. I truly enjoy working at Sport4Life as the working culture is one where you feel the passion and care that the organisation has. My days can be very different, from being at our weekly sport sessions or planning our Half Term camps to networking with National Governing Bodies and key organisations within the sports industry.
I have always been fascinated by the power of sports in bringing people together, and this is something that I learnt at a very young age while growing up in Spain, when I couldn’t speak the language. This experience taught me the value of integrating people into society and building links with others through sports.
Some fun facts about me are that I once played at the highest level of football in Spain for my age category. With my experience, language skills, and passion for sports, I am looking forward to contributing to Sport4Life’s mission and making a positive impact on the community.
Zoe-Jane Littlewood
Hello, I’m Zoe, and I became a part of Sport4Life in May 2021. Interestingly, my journey with this organisation began as a young person accessing their services in November 2020. Having graduated as a sports therapist in 2019, I faced the unfortunate setback of being unable to practise due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This left me feeling lost and stagnant in my personal development. That’s when I decided to seek help from Sport4Life through a self-referral, and I have been an active member ever since.
Working with young people and adults is my true passion, and I get satisfaction from helping them realise their full potential. As someone who is proudly dyslexic, I understand that conventional learning methods don’t always cater to everyone’s needs. Therefore, I make it a priority to create inclusive, engaging, and accessible sessions for all participants. There’s nothing quite like the joy of witnessing others achieve their goals, break out of their comfort zones, and it remains one of the most fulfilling aspects of my job.
Sport has always held a special place in my heart, whether I’m watching or playing it, as it possesses a unique ability to unite people and teach us valuable life lessons. Alongside my love for sport, I also find great joy in volunteering. In fact, I had the incredible opportunity to volunteer at the 2023 Special Olympics World Games held in Germany Berlin.
A fun fact about me is that I had the incredible opportunity to perform in the opening ceremony for the Birmingham 2020 Commonwealth Games. The event achieved the attention of over 1.5 billion viewers worldwide, and a live audience of 30,000 individuals.
Rebecca Meah
Rhys Gordon
My Journey, I started working for Sport 4 Life from October 2022, it started off with me beginning as A casual coach, I loved this role as it allowed me to chase my dream, of making the world a better place through Sport ( For Me Coaching and Converting Participants to Thee Arsenal) , I love coaching, seeing the impacts of how sports can open doors and break barriers, across different roads, Months Later I was given an opportunity to have a bigger impact, through sports, in ways that, I never thought about. This eye-opening experience, reignited the flame inside.
I am now A Sports Trainer for Sport 4 Life I really excited to contribute and do my part in making the world a better place through the power of sport. This is a dream mine which, Sport 4 Life have given me an opportunity to have a larger impact, coaching young people and encouraging them to find the impact on the world, in a way they would be proud of. Everyone Should have the chance to reach for as many stars as they possibly can.
Julian Salmon
Greetings Everyone! I’m Jules and I’m happy to say I work for Sport 4 Life. I joined the organisation in December 2023.
After being a Team Leader for the NCS waves in Autumn where I initially started working with young people, the role was really rewarding seeing young people trigger positive changes in their lives.
I have always had a passion for Sports: I began by coaching a men’s football team, which then led me to become a Personal Trainer and shortly after Assistant Manager. During Lockdown, I upskilled myself further by becoming a Level 3 Sports Therapist. Fitness and Wellbeing are two of my passions, and it is great to be able to work in a job that combines them both and allows me to share my knowledge and help others feel supported.
I am happy I joined Sport 4 Life, as their Team values strongly align with my own. I believe all young people have the potential to be something great and deserve the opportunity to succeed. With the right guidance, skillset and motivation, everyone can reach their goals and I am honoured to be supporting and guiding our young people on their unique journeys to success and happiness.
Alarna Parkes
I really enjoy working with young people, this has always been my passion. I have a background in performing arts (dance and drama) and became a dance teacher while I was in college. I grew up in Birmingham in a community rich with culture and religion and despite how different we all were, that sense of community and family was very important to us. This is a value I bring with me in my youth work. My aim is to ensure that every young person has equal opportunities and can access the help and support they need, no matter age, race, religion, gender or sexuality.
I decided to join Sport4Life as I wanted to take the next step in my career in youth work. I always aim to develop myself and further my experience, Sport4Life provides a great opportunity for personal development and pushing myself as well as allowing me to do what I love- helping young people become the best versions of themselves.
I joined Sport4Life in October 2021, in fact I Found out that I had got the job on my birthday!
As a young person, I had to deal with a lot of issues, particularly with my mental health. I grew up in a place where there weren’t many opportunities for young people, girls in particular. There was a lot of violence and gang related crime around and it was easy for young people to be influenced by this. My passion for working with young people has come from my own experiences as a child/ teenager. I wished that I had more access to help, support and opportunities. So it is now so important to me that I can help to provide this for young people now and be someone who can relate and understand issues they may be facing. I want to be a friendly face!
I enjoy seeing young people achieve great things after being able to support them! It gives me a great sense of achievement and I enjoy the positivity I can bring to people’s lives through my job. But I also enjoy having a place to work where I can feel comfortable and work in a way that is good for me, it helps me to provide a good service.
A fun fact about me: I have been an extra on the BBC day time programme ‘Doctors’.
