Dr. Tara Jones

Tara was a top-level junior tennis player and her fascination with the psychology of performance led her to pursue it academically. She went on to become the first full time sport psychologist appointed by a British nation (Sport Wales). Over the years, she has worked with Olympians, World and Commonwealth Champions across a wide range of sports, including track and field, badminton, squash, judo, karate, boxing, table tennis, European Tour golfers, elite cricketers and the GB Canoe Slalom team. She has also served as the psychologist for the GB Olympic Winter Games team and the Wales Team at two Commonwealth Games. Tara has published numerous articles on the psychology of high performance and she has also designed and delivered elite coach education programmes. More recently, Tara discovered pickleball - and she absolutely loves it. So much so that, in just her first year of playing, she was crowned national ladies' singles and doubles champion in the 50+ 4.0 category. She has since won gold and silver medals in English and Welsh Open tournaments in 50+ singles and ladies doubles in the ‘Open’ - the highest ratings category. She is also a certified Level 1 club coach. Her first-hand experience with the sport, combined with her deep expertise in performance psychology, gives her a unique perspective on the mental aspects of competitive play.

Professor Graham Jones

Graham was a high-level athlete, competing in age-group international cricket and hockey before playing top level rugby union. His experiences in elite sport sparked a deep fascination with performance psychology, leading to extensive research as an academic at Loughborough University on how top performers thrive under intense pressure. He has authored over 150 scientific articles and five books on the subject. Graham has worked with Olympic and World Champions, the GB Olympic team, Wales rugby team, GB hockey team, GB bobsleigh team, Olympic boxing referees, professional golfers, cricketers, squash players, rowers, track and field athletes, the Royal Marines and the MET Police Counter Terrorism Unit. He has also designed and delivered elite coach education programmes. Most recently, Graham has taken up pickleball, and like the rest of us, he’s completely hooked! He is also a certified Level 1 club coach so that his personal experience with the sport, combined with his expertise in performance psychology, makes him uniquely positioned to help players develop a winning mindset.