Banner Image:   1251765

Meet the coaches and team!


 

image7

 

GRANT SHEPPARD: Founder, Director and Cricket Coach of Get Serious Cricket

More about Grant...

Grant has been coaching with GET Sported in schools and on sports camps since the beginning (2003).

He is a real allrounder when it comes to coaching and teaching PE, but specifically, Grant is a Level 3 cricket coach and has been coaching and developing players and teams at many different levels over the past 32 years including at County 2nd XI standard in South Africa and Premier League club cricket in the UK.

Grant also founded and directs the charity World Sport Ministries of which GET Sported is a part of.

 

I love Jesus, sport and people and try my best to combine all three most days of my life. I have a fabulous wife and daughter and also love sharks and custard!”

 


Favourite:

 

Sporting Heroes: Ian Botham, Elize Perry

 

Sporting Memory: The great Liverpool comeback to beat AC Milan in the Champions League Final in 2005 + Ben Stokes’ incredible innings enabling England to beat Australia in the Men’s Ashes at Headingley 2019.

 

Sports Film: ‘Woodlawn’

 

Sports Book: ’The Captain Class’

 

Favourite Sporting Occasion: Opening day of an Ashes Lords Test Match + the Boxing Day Test match in Melbourne

 

 








 

image5

AKEEL YOUSAF: GET Sported Bristol Manager and Coach

More about Akeel...

Akeel was born in Pakistan and as a Pakistani, he is passionate about cricket. He has represented his country by playing U19. Akeel wears a number of hats within GET Sported. In the Bristol area, he facilitates the coaches and schools, as well as organising and leading our holiday camps. His desire is to use sports and help young lives to build their character on moral attributes.

He has been working for over 18 years as a coach. He likes all sports and pretty much coaches most of them.

 

He is a fan of: The Australian Cricket Team and Chelsea FC

 

 

Favourite:

 

SPORTS: Cricket, Hockey & snooker

 

SPORTING HEROES:  Viv Richard , Jose Mourinho

 

SPORTING MEMORY: Chelsea winning the Champions league

 

SPORTS BOOKS: Biography of Hansie Cronje

 

SPORTS FILMS: Facing the Giants

 

 


 

 

image8
 

BYRON CULF: GET Sported Community Coach

More about Byron...

Byron works across a number of different elements of the organisation, from toddlers all the way through to secondary. Byron has worked in schools for over fourteen years and loves working with young people of all ages, helping them to progress in not only their sport but in their understanding of the love God has for them, seeing them grow in skill, self-worth and self-belief.

He likes all sports but his favourite is football.

He is a fan of: Tottenham Hotspur and being a dad.
 

Favourite:

SPORTS: Football, tennis, table tennis, athletics, and roller skating

SPORTING HEROES: Eric Liddell, Usain Bolt, Harry Kane

SPORTING MEMORY: Watching Usain Bolt live at the World Championships in 2017 at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park stadium, where he ran his last race. And personally jumping over 4m on his skates (the length of two tall people lying down head to toe).

 

 



imageD

DAMIAN HODGE

GET Sported Community Coach

More about Damian...

Damian has worked for World Sport Ministries since his return from coaching and playing in America in 2001. He has coached football and multi-sports in schools and on GETSported camps since then.  He enjoys developing the skills and abilities of the children but his real passion is for their character development and seeing that worked out in both sport and life in general. 

  

He also works for Bristol City Football Club helping to manage sports psychology and has done for 21 seasons!

 

 

Favourite:

 

SPORTS: Football, Rugby, Golf, Cricket, F1, Mountain biking 

 

SPORTING HEROES: Ali, Johnny Wilkinson

 

SPORTING MEMORY: 1990 Football World Cup – so, so near!

 

SPORTS BOOKS: Legacy

 

SPORTS FILMS: Chariots of Fire

 

SPORTING OCCASION: British Grand Prix

 

 




image9









 

 

KENNY JAMES

GET Sported Community Coach

More about Kenny...

Kenny is a passionate cricket coach and has been working locally in schools with us for more than 8 years. 

He has a real passion to teach children about cricket which is a game that has been a huge part of his life and loves seeing children progress as cricketers and as people.

 

Kenny is famous for occasionally singing whilst coaching and loves to support Arsenal FC!
 

 

Favourite:

 

Sporting Heroes:  Viv Richards , Gordon Greenidge, Malcolm Marshall, Richard Hadlee 

 

Sporting Memory: Playing for Dominica against Jamaica and playing at Lords for Bath

 

Sporting Film: ‘Any Given Sunday’

 

Sporting Book: ‘Beyond the Boundary' by C James

 

Sports Occasion: "You can’t beat the olympics for drama and dreams.”

 

 

 



image3

 

DAVIS CHISHIMBA

GET Sported Community Coach

More about Davis...

Hailing from the distant land of Zambia, Davis Chishimba has been a coach for 8 years. He enjoys witnessing young kids recognize personal growth through hard work. He is driven by the results that come slower - character development and goal accomplishment. “The excitement and sense of wonder through accomplishment kids feels when they accomplish a set goal is contagious.”

Outside of coaching, Davis enjoys the thrills of Cycling, going for a run to drown out the daily noises and the stresses of life, a huge cricket enthusiast, a board game aficionado and considers himself a bit of a food connoisseur.

Words that inspire him:

You don’t have to be perfect to give a 100%

 

 

 



WILL LUXTON
 

WILL LUXTON: GET Sported Community Coach

More about Will...

Will has spent 20 years in Primary Education, including 7 years as a Deputy Headteacher. He was the PE Coordinator and sports coach at his last school for 13 years. Will enjoys watching and occasionally playing most sports.

He is a fan of: Liverpool, Bristol Bears and Somerset Cricket.

 

Favourite:

Sport:  Football, cricket, rugby and golf.

Sporting Occasion:  Any international cup final involving England or Cup final involving Liverpool.

Sporting Heroes:  Jan Molby, John Barnes, Steven Gerrard and Ian Botham.

Sporting Memory:  Liverpool winning the Champions League in 2005, after being 3-0 down at halftime against AC Milan.

Sports Books:  Any comedy cricket book

Sports Films:  Escape to Victory and Invictus

 

 








 

image5

Matthew Cullis - Local Sports Co-ordinator and Coach

More about Matthew...

Matthew has been involved in children’s and youth work since the young age of 14. He is South African born and moved to England with his wife, Helena and two children, Joel (15) and Ella (12) in 2023. He is especially passionate about people, sports and combining the two to see young lives transformed and helping them grow in all aspects of their lives. He was a pastor in Port Elizabeth, South Africa for 19 years and was very involved in coaching and schools work.

 

“Go Big or Go Home! Give your all everyday for Jesus and you can never go under for going over – Matthew 6:33”

 

 

Favourite:

 

SPORT: Rugby

 

SPORTING HEROES:  Eric Liddell and Siya Kolisi

 

SPORTING MEMORY: Finishing my first Comrades marathon in 2018, South Africa. It was a 3 year journey of training, setbacks and injury that finally, after 3 attempts, was completed.

 

SPORTS BOOKS: In Black and White by Jake White

 

SPORTS FILMS: Nacho Libre

 

 



image4
 

Estienne Shepherd

GET Sported Mentor

More about Estienne...

Estienne leads some dance, other afterschool clubs and delivers 1 to 1 mentoring for precious young people through our schools and partnering work.

Estienne is also an incredible photographer and captures many of the amazing images you see from our sports camps.

 

Favourite:

Sports Heroes: Ashley Banjo - from Diversity

Sporting Memory:  The Lionesses - England winning the woman’s Euros 2022

Sports Books: Little People Big Dreams collection - David Beckham, Leo Messi, Wilma Rudolph

Sports Films: Billy Elliott

 

 



image4
 

Edith Meriam

GET Sported Mentor

More about Edith ...

Edith has worked with children and youth since the age of 16 in different settings like churches, schools and charities. With a background in Psychology, she brings compassion, creativity, and a heart for serving others to her role. She has a deep passion for supporting children, young people, and adults, helping them to grow in confidence and recognize their God-given potential.

Edith believes sport is a powerful way to connect, inspire, and share God’s love. Through encouragement and faith, she enjoys seeing how sport can teach valuable lessons about teamwork, perseverance, and purpose. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, being outdoors running, and calisthenics.

 

Favourite:

Sport: Athletics, Calisthenics, Climbing and Cricket

Sports Heroes: Virat Koli/ My dad (He was a boxer)

Sporting Memory:  Watching India win the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup

Sports Films: Sarpatta Parambarai - Set in the 1970s, the film delves into the world of boxing in North Madras, India, highlighting the resilience and spirit of the sport.

 

 



image4
 

David Avraamides

GET Sported Community Coach

More about David ...

David has been working in education and coaching for over 15 years, both as a qualified and experienced Primary level teacher and as a sports coach with after school clubs and holiday clubs.

David began with Get Sported in 2025 and is keen to bring his expertise and knowledge into delivering high-quality, engaging sports lessons for the children he works with.

Highlights of David’s time as a coach include taking his school football team to a National final in 2017 and winning County titles numerous times over the years.

David is a qualified fencing and dodgeball coach and greatly enjoys coaching both of these sports.

He is a fan of: Arsenal Football Club

 

Favourites:

Sports:  Football, dodgeball, pro wrestling

Sporting Hero:  Thierry Henry

Sporting Memory:  Arsenal’s FA Cup win in 2014

Sports Books:  Have a Nice Day! – Mick Foley

Sports Film:  Rocky

 

 



image4
 

Liam Davis

GET Sported Community Coach

More about Liam ...

Liam was born in Bath and has lived there his whole life. He is passionate about football and has been a Manchester United fan since he was a toddler, just like his dad. Liam works at a number of different schools as a Sports Coach for GET Sported.

Liam attended a football college after secondary school and now plays for five different football teams, 2 are 11-a-side teams and 3 are 6-a-side teams. He started playing for one of his 11-a-side teams – High Littleton – when he was just 7 years old and this is partly what has inspired him to become a sports coach. He was a very shy child and the confidence he got from playing football is something he wants to encourage in the children he works with.

 

Favourites:

Sports:  Football, tennis and basketball.

Sporting Heroes:  Bruno Fernandes, Lionel Messi

Sporting Memory:  Winning the Moorland Cup with High Littleton

Sports Venue:  Old Trafford, Manchester

Sports Presenter:  Roy Keane

 

 



image4
 

Georgia Van Tonder

GET Sported Administrator

More about Georgia...

Georgia joined GET Sported / World Sport Ministries in January 2022. She provides administrative support to every department of the charity including Coaches and Parents.

Georgia has always had a passion for working with children and in the past has taught creative dancing to young children. She and her husband continue to run a youth group from their home for the past 10 years.

Her favourite sport has become Rugby, as her teenage boys and husband are players and supporters of the Springboks.

 

Favourite:

Sporting Memory:  When South Africa won the Rugby World Cup in 1995 and Nelson Mandela presented the William Webb Ellis Trophy to Francois Pienaar (the SA Captain at the time).

Sports Films: The Blind Side