Meet the sportscotland institute of sport staff who have helped prepare Scotland's best athletes for Delhi

Mike Whittingham

Mike Whittingham is the Director of High Performance at the sportscotland institute of sport. Within the new organisation he has both strategic and operational responsibility for leading sportscotland’s investment, strategic input and operational delivery of high performance.

In his role he is responsible for driving success and to ensure that Scottish athletes are given every opportunity to perform to the highest level on the world stage. Planning and process are essential prerequisites of his job and Mike has a strong varied background of senior management within the educational, public and private sector. Every organisation needs a strong figurehead with both a sporting and business brain; and Mike is that man.

In addition to this, he is well versed on the political and corporate issues affecting sport in the UK and is able to discuss the different elements these present Mike has far reaching experience in sport. For fifteen years Mike built up a company that provided consultative advice and support world wide to organisations including Lloyds/ TSB, IAAF, IOC, Kenyan Government, ODA, UK Sport Millennium Dome, UK Athletics and numerous National governing Bodies such as British Swimming and British Triathlon.

Mike is an adviser to the Minister of Sport and a Winston Churchill Fellow. He was a former GB International at 400m hurdles and 800 metres. He has coached and managed a very successful group of athletes that won over 35 major medals at major Championships including Roger Black, Kris Akabussi, John Regis, Jon Ridgeon, Maria Akara and also his own Scottish wife Christine.

Dave Crosbee

Dave joined the sportscotland institute of sport in October 2003 in the new position of High Performance Co-coordinator, became Head of Performance Planning in February 2007 and is now one the High Performance Managers. He was a competitor in the sport of Canoe Slalom, representing GB Junior and Senior teams from 1983 to 1994 before retiring from competitive paddling in 1996. Dave is a level three qualified Canoe Slalom Coach, and before joining the institute he worked in a number of coaching roles in Great Britain and Ireland.

Bob Easson

Bob Easson joined the SIS as High Performance Rugby Coach in November 1999 and in 2009 became one of the High Performance Managers. A former PE teacher and assistant headmaster, Bob has a wealth of coaching experience at youth and professional level. He has coached the Scotland Under 18, 19, 21, Scotland A, Scotland 7's and Development XV and was head coach with Edinburgh Reivers (now Edinburgh Rugby).

Liz Mendl

Liz was the Director of Athlete Services with the Institute from 1998 - 2009 before she became a High Performance Manager. Liz, who qualified as a physiotherapist at Guy's Hospital, London, is a former Olympic and Commonwealth Games physiotherapist and has travelled through out the world with Scottish and British teams working with a number of the countries most successful athletes. She is a member of the British Olympic Association Physiotherapy Committee and holds the position of Vice President of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports Medicine.

Dave Clark – Head of Strength and Conditioning

Dave has been head of strength and conditioning at the sportscotland institute of sport for over a decade. He is responsible for an ever growing network of professionals who help Scotland’s athletes ensure they are in the best physical shape for competition. He has delivered strength and conditioning support to GB Canoe Slalom athletes since August 2003 and is currently the strength and conditioning lead for this programme, working directly with the senior athletes in the preparation for the London Olympics in 2012. His career highlights include coaching Chris Hoy, Campbell Walsh and Dave Florence to Olympic medal success.

Neil Donald – Strength and Conditioning Coach

Neil was a part time S&C Coach for Tayside and Fife Institute of Sport since 2003 and then joined institute as swimming lead in November 08. His role is concerned mainly with delivering S&C support to GB swimmers based at Intensive Training Centre in Stirling, as well as coordinating and leading delivery of S&C support to Institute swimmers.

Delhi sport(s): Swimming (lead).

Andrew Boles – Strength and Conditioning Coach

Andrew works at the sportscotland institute of sport as the lead Strength and Conditioning coach for Lawn Bowls, having joined in February 2010. He also currently works for Hamilton Academicals F.C. where he leads sport science and strength and conditioning support for the academy. Andrew also runs his own business (SportScienceServices.co.uk). Previously, he worked for sportscotland as S&C coach on the 'Generic Sport Strength Programme' and also for the Scottish Football Association.

Delhi sport(s): Lawn Bowls.

Alan Sinclair– Strength and Conditioning Coach

Alan manages Strength and Conditioning provision for the Highland, Tayside and Fife and Grampian Regions. He is also leads on S&C support for women’s Hockey in Scotland. His job involves working with area lead coaches to ensure optimal S&C coaching, facilities and integrated working with other service disciplines to ensure world-class support is available to the athletes throughout the regions he manages.

Delhi sport(s): Hockey (men)

Paul Coyle – Strength and Conditioning Coach

Paul joined the Institute as West of Scotland Strength and Conditioning Coach in 2007 and he is responsible for managing the strength and conditioning programme for the West of Scotland. This involves designing, implementing, supervising, and evaluating strength and conditioning programmes for Area Institute athletes. He is also responsible for the strength and conditioning needs of the Scottish Badminton and Wheelchair Curling squads.

Delhi sport(s): Hockey (women), Badminton.

Neil Crosbie – Strength and Conditioning Coach

Neil Crosbie joined the Institute as East of Scotland Strength and Conditioning Coach in November 2001 and is responsible for managing the strength and conditioning programme for the East of Scotland. This involves designing, implementing, supervising, and evaluating various strength and conditioning programmes for Area Institute athletes.

Delhi sport(s): Cycling, Cricket

Bryan Schooling – Strength and Conditioning Coach

Bryan became a part time coach for the Grampian Area Institute of Sport in 2007 and seconded to lead for GIS October 2008 before being appointed permanently in June 2009. He is responsible for managing the strength and conditioning programme for the Grampian Institute of Sport. This involves designing, implementing, supervising, and evaluating strength and conditioning programmes for Area Institute athletes.

Delhi sport(s): Shooting.

Tim Silvester – Strength and Conditioning Coach

Tim joined the Institute as the S&C Judo Lead in September 2007. He has previously worked as a Fitness Professional, Gymnasium Manager and as a Lecturer at Kilmarnock College. Tim has played rugby at various levels for nearly 30 years, and has represented Middlesex County as a 200m sprinter, also achieving 3rd place at the English Schools Finals.

Delhi sport(s): Wrestling, Netball.

Nikos Jakubiak – Performance Nutritionist

Nikos first started working in high performance sport as a Taekwondo coach and received his diploma in Taekwondo coaching and an accreditation from the Greek ministry of sports and culture in 1995. Having realised the importance of nutrition for performance, especially in a weight-controlled sport, he decided to further his skills and knowledge at University. He worked for some time as a sports nutrition consultant for the SIS before deciding to leave his senior post in the NHS. He took up a permanent job as a performance nutritionist for SIS in 2009 to fulfil a longstanding ambition of supporting World class athletes in their journey to sporting excellence.

Delhi sport(s): Swimming, Boxing

Ruth McKean – Area Nutrition Co-ordinator

Ruth works alongside other service providers such as physiology, medicine, strength and conditioning, and performance lifestyle to ensure athletes’ diets are optimal for their events. She provides nutritional advice to athletes based their current diet, body composition, blood results, lifestyle issues and performance data. Ruth leads on a number of sports and runs general nutrition clinics.

Delhi sport(s): Lawn Bowls

Fiona Mather – Head of Physiotherapy

Fiona joined the Institute in 2003, having worked as a rehabilitation specialist in professional rugby for two years. She has specialised in sports injury rehabilitation since 1997. Fiona has a BSc (hons) in Physiotherapy from Glasgow Caledonian University and a MSc in Physiotherapy from University College London. She is a member of several professional associations which include Manipulation Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (MACP), Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (CSP), and Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports medicine.

Lisa Hogg – Physiotherapist

Lisa operated her own private physio practice in Australia for 8 years. She worked with cricket Australia (1998 - 2006) where she worked as physio to the Australian women's team and toured extensively. She developed injury prevention strategies and became involved in research projects looking into back and shoulder injuries in Cricket in association with Australian Institute of Sport. She has also worked with Australian Winter Olympics Snowboard & Skeleton teams and the Australian Rugby Union. Lisa is interested in biomechanical analysis and its application to performance injury prevention and treatment.

Delhi sport(s): Swimming

Linda Hardy – Physiotherapist

Linda was appointed as a multi-sport physiotherapist with the SIS in May 2009. For the past seven years she has specialised in musculoskeletal physiotherapy, recently with the emphasis upon sports injury management and working with high performance athletes. Since 2005 she has been a member of the British Gymnastics Medical Team and has also provided some seasonal cover for UK Athletics and England Netball.

Delhi sport(s): Athletics, Gymnastics, Netball.

Craig More – Physiotherapist

Craig’s working life began in the NHS, and so far his career has taken him to Scotland, England and New Zealand. His areas of work included private sports clinics, MoD, rugby and professional football. He has been a full time member of staff at the sportscotland institute of sport since 2007. Within the Institute, Craig is Lead Physiotherapist to Men’s Hockey and Badminton programmes linking closely with and supporting the GB programmes where necessary. He has also been involved in the set up, development and co-ordination of the Physiotherapy service for the West of Scotland Institute of Sport.

Delhi sport(s): Badminton.

Maggie Bush – Physiotherapist

Maggie joined the SIS full time in April, 2009. She developed an interest in sports physiotherapy in 2003 when she worked as a physiotherapist for London Welsh Rugby club. Maggie has previously worked in a dance and performance private practice and a sports injury clinic, where she covered the athletes at the Central Institute of Sport and saw SIS athletes. She also travelled to Switzerland with the men’s GB Olympic curling squad and toured to South Africa with the Scottish men’s cricket team.

Delhi sport(s): Lawn Bowls, Cricket

Oliver Davies – Physiotherapist

Oli moved north of the border to begin working for the institute as a multisport physiotherapist in July 2009. As a keen football fan Oli has enjoyed working as a physiotherapist in the Barclays Premiership, for the England U 16-19 Football teams and had some wonderful experiences on the road with the charismatic and spectacularly talented Great Britain Blind Football team. Oli was a member of team GB in Beijing for the Paralympics. His special interests lie within disability sport. Oli believes in taking a functional and creative approach to his work.

Delhi sport(s): Cycling, Squash

Sue Warwick – Physiotherapist

Sue has worked with the Institute since its inception in 1999. At that time she was Lead Physiotherapist for the Individual athletes and part of the working group which saw the development of Athlete Performance Profiling. Her role is now to Lead and co-ordinate the physiotherapy programmes for Figure Skating, Tennis, Target Shooting and Archery. Sue was Team Leader for GB Figure Skating at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.

Delhi Sports : Target Shooting (Lead) & Archery (Lead)

Rebecca Joyce – Physiotherapist

Rebecca was appointed as winter sports physiotherapist with SIS and Snowsport GB in September 2008. Her role is within skiing, snowboarding and cross country skiing. She predominently works with the British Alpine skiers, whom she travels with on tour throughout the winter season. Rebecca previously worked for the NHS and travelled to Val D'Isere as a physio for the winter ski season. In the UK she has covered the O'Neill Highland Open surfing Championships in Thurso, Scotland.

Delhi sport(s): Weightlifting

Sue Robson – Head of Physiology

Sue has 10 yrs elite sport transition experience as a University lecturer. She has worked as a consultant to Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) for women in sport issues and was a provider & consultant to AIS & New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) for elite athlete assessments & programming recommendations. She also worked for the United states Ski & Snowboard Association (USSA) as Director of sport science & Head physiologist. In this role she gained extensive experience in hypoxic and hyperoxic training, adaptation to and from altitude, impact of altitude, travel and competition on performance and elite athlete management strategies to minimise impact and optimise performance.

Delhi sport(s): Lawn Bowls

Marek Anestik – Exercise Physiologist

Marek joined the Institute in September 2006 as an Exercise Physiologist. He previously worked for the Slovakian National Sport Centre (NSC) as the Head of Department of Sport Diagnostics, where he provided performance analysis and sport diagnostics for selected athletes of the NSC from 2004 to 2006. He went to the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004 as member of supporting team of Slovak Olympic Committee. Marek is former decathlon and heptathlon (indoor) champion of Slovakia. He was also a member of the Slovak National Team in Decathlon and participated at European Cup level in 1999, 2002 & 2003.

Delhi sport(s): Swimming (ITC)

Andrew Murray – Exercise Physiologist

Andrew is a graduate of the University of Glasgow who joined the Institute in April 2009 as an Exercise Physiologist. He previously worked for Heart of Midlothian as the Sport Scientist providing support to all the full time professional players from October 2006. Previous to this he worked at the Sports Medicine Centre at Hampden Park as a sport scientist supporting athletes from a recreational to an elite level from a range of sports. His first interest is football and he continues to contribute to the Sport Science Working Group of the Scottish Football Association on developing their coach education resources and delivering on their delivered courses.

Delhi sport(s): Swimming (lead), Hockey (lead), Rugby

Sian Allen – Exercise Physiologist

Sian joined the sportscotland institute of sport in 2009 as an Exercise Physiologist with the East of Scotland Institute of Sport, after having completed a physiology internship with the English Institute of Sport at Loughborough University. She has previously worked within the UK Sport Talent Team on a number of Talent ID campaigns, and within the Strength & Conditioning department at London Irish RUFC. Sian used to compete in football to Women’s Premier League level for Tranmere Rovers WFC and Everton Ladies FC.

Delhi sport(s): Swimming (ITC)

Helen Alfano – Exercise Physiologist

Helen has moved to the Institute as Exercise Physiologist for the West and SIS. Her main areas of focus will be cycling, badminton and covering the west. Her previous jobs include Sport Scientist at a Premiership Rugby Union Team in England, Research Assistant and most recently Sport Scientist for ParalympicsGB & the English Institute of Sport. This role gave her the opportunity to travel with the Paralympic Team to Beijing and develop some expertise in the area of disability sport and travel.

Delhi sport(s): Cycling (lead), Badminton

Gemma Smith – Exercise Physiologist

Gemma joined sportscotland institute of sport in November 2003 as an Exercise Physiologist, coming from the Australian Institute of Sport where she was working as an Assistant Sports Physiologist on their International Scholarship Programme. Prior to that she worked at BUPA as a Health Advisor/Exercise Physiologist, was a part-time Research Assistant and Lecturer at the University of Northampton, and was a Fitness Instructor. Since joining the Institute, Gemma’s role has changed considerably and has involved working extensively with British Swimming, the Central Scotland Institute of Sport and the University of Stirling.

Delhi sport(s): Lawn Bowls

Susan Elms – Head of Performance Lifestyle

Susan Elms joined the Institute as Performance Lifestyle Co-ordinator in 1999 from Edinburgh's Telford College where she was a lecturer in Sports Coaching and Sports Development, then became Head of Performance Lifestyle in February 2007. The role of Performance Lifestyle is to provide athletes with a balance in lifestyle to enable them to compete at the highest level. This enables athletes to identify their personal strengths and supports them to integrate career, education, lifestyle, and sporting demands so they can be successful now and in their life after sport.

Delhi sport(s): Swimming, Badminton, Hockey

Tracy Rea – Performance Lifestyle Coach

Tracy Rea recently joined the SIS as a Performance Lifestyle Coach based in Stirling. She was previously a lecturer at the University of Bath and at Loughborough College where she taught on the Sports Performance degree. Tracy was employed as the Education and Welfare Advisor for the FA Women’s Player Development Centre (PDC) at Loughborough University. The PDC was an integral part of the FA’s international programme for female football players with over twenty scholars aged between 16 and 23, who were funded through an academic programme of study, whilst undertaking a multidisciplinary sport science supported training programme at Loughborough.

Delhi sport(s): Swimming

Mary Kean – Performance Lifestyle Adviser

Mary is a former SIS supported athlete and Scottish/British Internationalist . She is a 3 time former Scottish 800m Champion, and spent 4 years in the USA on an athletics scholarship which she completed with all American honours. Professionally, Mary used to be a police officer before making the move to the Institute, where she is now a Performance Lifestyle Advisor.

Delhi sport(s): Badminton

Malcolm Fairweather – Head of Sports Science and Innovation

Dr. Malcolm Fairweather joined the SIS as Sports Science Coordinator from the University of Edinburgh in March 2001, and then became Head of Sports Science and Innovation in February 2007. Malcolm has published both joint and solo work, in numerous National and International publications and has also coached a number of world class athletes including Olympic and World Gold medallists. His versatility in coaching, skill acquisition and consulting activities at International level in athletics, badminton, golf and rugby together with his academic expertise gives Malcolm a unique position in sport and also places him amongst the leading exponents of applied sports science and skills acquisition.

Delhi sport(s): Swimming, Lawn Bowls, Hockey, Rugby

John Marchant – Senior Sports Psychologist

John has over five years teaching experience on undergraduate and post graduate Sports Science courses and has been an individual consultant sport psychologist for five years across a variety of sports. He is currently enrolled on a Ph.D. programme investigating coping mechanisms and support networks during career transition and termination in Professional Football.

Delhi sport(s): Shooting, Cycling, Badminton

Misha Botting – Sports Psychologist

A BASES High Performance accredited sport psychologist, Misha was born in Moscow and trained at the Moscow Bolshoi Ballet Academy. He enjoyed an eleven year professional performance career in both Russia and Scotland. Misha has over five years experience of working with elite performers. He now leads the delivery of sport psychology training to key sports that include Swimming and Curling. He also provides an intensive training to Scottish athletes who prepare to compete in Olympic and Commonwealth Games as well as World and European Championships.

Delhi sport(s): Swimming, Badminton, Hockey, Rugby

Kristine Dun – Sports Psychologist

Kristine works with athletes, coaches, and service providers to develop mental skills that assist with elite sport performance. She works across the institute network, in Stirling, Central, Tayside & Fife, and Grampian to provide psychological support for identified programs, athletes, coaches, and service providers. She is currently working with a variety of individual and team based sports.

Delhi sport(s): Hockey, Shooting, Archery, Badminton

Andy Kerr – Performance Analyst

Andy was a PE Teacher at Bell Baxter HS in Cupar for 8 years prior to joining the Institute in August 2000 as a Performance Analyst with Elite Sports Analysis. His role is to manage, coordinate and lead the delivery of Performance Analysis to the Institute’s athletes, coaches and service providers. Over the 10 years he has been with the Institute he has delivered support in over 20 different sports both in Competition and Training, with the Commonwealth Games in Manchester and Melbourne being the highlights.

Delhi Sports – Hockey Men(lead), Hockey Women(lead),Tennis(lead)

Dr Brian Walker – Head of Sports Medicine

Dr Brian Walker M.B.Ch.B., M.D., F.F.S.E.M. Dip.Sp.Med. joined the Institute as Medical Director in August 2003 and became Head of Sports Medicine in February 2007. A former General Practitioner in Kilsyth, Brian has worked in full time Sports Medicine practice with appointments at the University of Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt University and private practice in Cumbernauld. His role at the Institute involves the medical profiling of athletes, monitoring health by blood and saliva analysis, clinical duties and contributing sports medicine to the Institute's programmes.

Delhi sport(s): All sports

Dr Niall Elliott – Deputy Head of Sports Medicine

Niall is the Head of Medical Services for Team Scotland and will lead the 6 Doctor and 10 Physiotherapy team supporting the Scottish Athletes. He has worked with athletes regionally in Tayside and Fife since 2001and worked with the BOA at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games. His role is aimed primarily at setting up the medical support for Delhi, meeting with sports and athletes, ensuring doping regulations are adhered to as well as devising illness prevention strategies whilst in Delhi.

Delhi sport(s): All sports