England Boxer
Frank Buglioni started boxing at the age of fourteen and, after becoming a two time national champion, was selected to fight for England at just nineteen years of age. Following this, Frank was also selected for the podium squad, the team from which the Olympians were selected from, and gained huge experience in the following eighteen months winning over 50 of his 60 fights before turning professional. Frank made his professional debut in November 2011, and won his first ten fights on the way to being crowned the WBO European super middleweight champion. He later went on to win the WBA international super middleweight title as well, and, most recently having moved up to the light heavyweight category, stopped Olegs Fedotovs in the first round in March 2016. Franks honest and driven description of the sacrifices that it takes to be an elite level professional boxer puts him in a great place to talk to young people, and we are proud to have him join our team of speakers at PRC Elite.
@FrankBuglioniSurrey Cricket
On graduating from Durham University in 1995, Batty joined Hampshire CCC, before moving to Surrey CCC, where Batty was able to enjoy regular first team action. Batty was a regular player in Surrey's sustained success, winning three county championships around the turn of the century. Batty captained Surrey in 2004 was awarded a benefit year by the county in 2009. He broke the record for most catches in a match with 11, against Lancashire, breaking the record of then Surrey coach Steve Rixon. In October 2009 Batty signed a three-year contract with Gloucestershire. Simon Briggs of the Daily Telegraph reviewed his career, saying he was "the finest uncapped player of the last 20 years." We are delighted to have Jonathan join us on our panel of speakers for PRC Elite, and his extensive Sport Psychology knowledge will give a fascinating insight for all pupils involved.
@jonathanbattyEngland and GB Hockey
Darren is an experienced international athlete, having represented England and Great Britain in Hockey. He is a significantly known speaker worldwide on the topics of motivation and setting personal goals and targets and is an official Arsenal FC Ambassador as well as coach in the junior England Hockey programme.
@DarrenCheesmanWarwickshire and England Cricket
Varun Chopra is Warwickshire's opening batsman, and has captained both the Bears and the England U19 side in a career spanning 10 years in professional cricket. Varun made his debut for Essex in 2006. The latest to come off an impressive conveyor belt of young batsmen at Essex, which included England Test captain Alastair Cook, Chopra is an opening batsman of considerable talent. He impressed as captain of England Under-19s, whom he led to a comprehensive series whitewash of Sri Lanka in 2005, and was on fire himself, averaging 48 in the Tests and striking a half-century in one of the two ODIs. Chopra was also part of the England Lions' tour of Australia in 2013, and made a century against Australia A. Varun joined Warwickshire for the start of the 2010 season. In 2011 he became the first Warwickshire batsman to score double tons in back to back county matches, and captained the county in recent years.
@vchops3Surrey and England Netball
Pamela was first called up for her country for the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002 at just 17 years of age, but she had to withdraw due to injuring her ACL. She eventually made her senior debut with England in 2004 against Australia, and two years later won a bronze medal with the England team at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. She won a second Commonwealth Games bronze medal in 2010, and later that year won silver at the World Netball Series. One of her career highlights is overcoming the challenge of injury to captain her country in a test series white wash in 2013 against Australia! She has recently returned to UK soil with a bronze medal in hand following the Netball World Cup in Sydney in August 2015 where she gained her 100th cap, this is her second World Cup bronze medal.
@PamelaCookeyEngland and GB Hockey
Rio 2016 Gold Medallist. Crista made her senior international debut for England Hockey in 2003. She was part of the Great Britain squad which won Bronze at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, as well as the England squad that won Bronze at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. She retired from international hockey after the 2012 Summer Olympics, aged 27, after earning 171 international caps. However, last year, she was asked out of retirement by the Head Coach of England.
www.cristacullen.co.ukOlympic Badminton Player
Gail Emms is a British badminton player who was first chosen to represent England in 1995 and, along with partner Nathan Robertson, she has been No. 1 in the world at mixed doubles, All England Champion, and Olympic silver medallist. In additions to the Olympic success, Emms won gold with Robertson in the World Championships 2006, Commonwealth Games in 2006 and in the 2004 European Championships. As a highly successful professional badminton player, Gail has honed her own self-motivation skills and she is an excellent and enthusiastic motivational speaker.
www.gailemms.comEssex CCC and England Cricket
Widely regarded as the best gloveman in the country from the last ten years, James Foster has become a renowned wicketkeeper for Essex and England in a career spanning fifteen years. In that time, James represented England in India, New Zealand, Zimbabwe and in Australia, and was also part of the much lauded ICC 2003 World T20 World Cup side, in which his stumping of Yuvraj Singh was praised all over the world. Having been captain of Essex CCC, his home county, over the last six years, James is in the perfect position to talk about leadership, pressures of keeping up peak performance.
@JamesFoster07Premier League ex-footballer
Danny started his career at Manchester United FC where he learnt his trade under Sir Alex Ferguson before joining Derby County FC. He signed with Southampton FC three years later for £1.5m and played in the 2003 FA Cup final. Following this he played for Stoke City, Sunderland and, towards he end of his career, Nottingham Forest, Ipswich Town and Sheffield United. Danny is now a well known media personality, commentating and analysing for BT Sport, and his knowledge and experience means we are delighted to welcome him to the team of conference speakers at PRC Elite!
@Higginbotham05GB Olympic Rower
Mark’s rowing career started at the age of 14 at the Poplar Blackwall & District Rowing Club. In 2008 he was appointed captain of the prestigious Leander Club, and he and his rowing partner, Zac Purchase, were the only unbeaten crew in world rowing, sealing their status by winning GB's first ever lightweight medal and Olympic gold in the Beijing Olympics. They continued to be an unstoppable force in the world of rowing, winning gold in the 2010 and 2011 World Championships, and silver medals at London 2012. We are delighted to have Mark speak for us at PRC Elite's conferences this year.
www.markhuntergb.comEngland Netball
Amanda is the assistant coach (defence) for the England Netball side, under the management of Tracey Neville. Her coaching skills and knowledge of training standards and attaining peak performance are well renowned around the sport, and this puts her in a strong position to present to student athletes around the country. Amanda has presented and coached all over the country, and we are proud to have her working with us in our conference programmes.
Olympic Skeleton Champion
Britain’s first solo Winter Olympic Champion for 30 years, Amy Williams returned from the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games as the nation’s first female individual gold medallist in 58 years. Amy and Arthur (her sled) set double track records and went to finish more than half a second ahead of all her competitors. Amy’s legacy as a former 400m runner allowed her to have lightening fast starts and her fearless determination pushed the limits of speed like no one else, showing that transition between sports can be achieved. Amy’s experience of performing at the highest level of sport allows her as a speaker to flow wonderfully between key concepts, such as peak performance and competition in pressurised environments – attributes that are easily relatable to business. Amy’s presentations are engaging and compelling, filled with anecdotal tales and invaluable advice learnt from a career in sport.
www.amywilliams.comSussex CCC and England Cricket
Luke Wright has become one of the foremost exponents of T20 cricket in the world having regularly appeared in the IPL, Big Bash, BPL and PPL, as well as being a record breaker within the T20 competition in England. He has performed for the national team in several world cup and champions trophy tournaments and is now the Sussex CCC club and first team captain. PRC Elite are excited to have such a prestigious talent speaking at the Southern conference this year.
@lukewright204PRC Elite Founder
Nick Tester is a leading figure in Sport and Education, having been Head of Cricket at Chigwell School and Head of Boy’s Games, Football and Cricket, most recently, at Ardingly College. In his time in education, Nick has been one of the most decorated Heads of Football in the Independent sector, and has also been the national coach and manager to the Independent Schools National U18s and U16s, and coached within the Essex County Cricket Academy
@nick_tester