Sky Sports Mentors

Our Sky Sports News presenters partnered the athletes to follow their stories and share their experiences.

Sky Sports Scholarships is designed to support some of Britain and Ireland's most exciting athletes. The scheme has helped them prepare for life in the spotlight. Sky Sports provided the athletes with mentoring support from Sky Sports News talent in addition to funding for coaching, training and competition. Life in the spotlight can be difficult, and Sky Sports were pleased to be working with the athletes to develop their media, reporting and presentation skills. Our Sky Sports News presenters partnered with the athletes to follow their stories and share their experiences. They kept in touch regularly via Facebook and Twitter, profiled their athletes, reported live from their competitions and offered support and advice.

Rob Wooton on Aaron Cook

I've been at Sky Sports since 1998 and in my time have been a presenter of our football coverage and also as a presenter on Sky Sports News. I've covered pretty much everything on Sky Sports News in my time at Sky Sports, including coverage of live La Liga and also our magazine programme Revista De La Liga. As much as I love Spanish football, my real football passion is Chelsea! It is amazing to see the dedication that such a young athlete puts into their passion. Aaron started to take Taekwondo lessons at the age of five and he hasn't looked back since. He has also had excellent support from his entire family throughout his career, with his father regularly taking him to events around the country and even building him a gym in his own back yard! I did not have the skills to help build a gym but I loved having the chance to offer Aaron any support he needed along the way.

David Garrido on Liam Tancock

Prior to starting at Sky Sports News, I worked on Radio 1's Newsbeat broadcast. I currently present the regular early slot on Sky Sports News, 'Good Morning Sports Fans', alongside Kirsty Gallacher or Alex Hammond. I really believe in the benefits of exercise so being part of the Sky Sports Scholarship scheme was an exciting opportunity for me. Liam has always loved playing sports. Fortunately, he has also excelled in any sport he has tried! He joined Loughborough University to focus on his swimming career. It says a lot about Liam's determination that he pinpoints the great coaching over the 25m and 50m pools as his main reason for choosing the university. It is this strength of character that has propelled him to break the world 50m backstroke record in 2008 and continue to be one of the most consistent performers on the British team.

John Paul Davies on Jody Cundy

I have had a slightly different career to most of my Sky Sports colleagues because I worked in the Police force before becoming a presenter. I joined Sky Sports News in 2009 and I have also had the opportunity to present live Rugby coverage on Sky. I have also loved having the opportunity to work on Sky Sports Living For Sport assisting giving media training to athlete mentors. It didn't feel right me mentoring Jody; he had a thing or two to teach me! What is amazing about Jody is that before competing in Paracycling, he had a swimming career that spans 10 years winning 23 international medals. He has gone on to become the fastest solo Paralympian on a bike and won multiple medals on the world stage. It was a great honour to spend time with Jody and have the chance to get to know the personality behind this extraordinary athlete.

Vicky Gomersall on Perri Shakes-Drayton

I started my broadcasting career reporting on events in and around the North West. In 2005, I joined the Sky Sports News team, making the transition from reporter to presenter. My most memorable moment, as a huge Liverpool fan was the day Emlyn Hughes died. I felt honoured to interview so many Liverpool legends about their beloved 'Crazy Horse'. All the former players started to just turn up without even being asked. It was a massive mark of respect to the man both they and the fans, including me, adored. It was a very emotional day but one I shall never forget. It was a great honour to act as a mentor for Perri. She is one of the most talked about up and coming names in athletics and her achievements at such a young age are simply outstanding. Perri took the junior athletes world by storm since she set a UK junior record time in the 400m hurdles. She has continued to improve every year and her talent was recently shown on the world-stage when Perri qualified for the World Championships with a spectacular performance at the UK trials, becoming the first women to win both the 400m hurdles and 400m titles. I hope Sky's funding supported Perri to make the most of her extraordinary talents and I was pleased to help her in any way I could!

Sean Fletcher on Mark Rohan

I have been involved in sports broadcasting since 2005, when I presented the bulletin for the BBC. As a huge sports fan, I jumped at the chance to work for Sky Sports when the opportunity came a few months ago. I get a real adrenaline rush when I get the chance to break the latest sports news and I'm really grateful to get the chance to work with some of the most talented names in sport. Mark is truly an inspirational man. He has always been a talented sportsmen, playing Gaelic football to a high level before his accident in a motorcycling accident. After spending six months in the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Ireland and with a positive mental attitude, Mark defied all expectations to get back into sport. He spent a while trying a few different sports before making a name for himself in Paracycling. He has been hugely successful in the sport, becoming Ireland's first ever Paracyling world champion, winning six World Cup Medals along the way.

Hayley McQueen on Louis Smith

I have always been interested in a career in the media and, in particular, working within sports. After working as a production assistant for a while, I joined Sky Sports as a presenter. It's a great job for anybody who loves sport and it has also given me the opportunity to present Champions League football, which has been a real highlight for me. Louis is a guy with a really warm personality. Behind all of this, he is an extremely dedicated and determined athlete and it is this attitude which has taken him all the way to the top of his field. He had his first bit of success on the global stage when he won the pommel horse gold medal at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney in 2007. He continued this success at the highest level the following year as he took the bronze medal at the Olympics in Beijing. He has gone from strength to strength since and it has been great to be mentoring him. Following his achievements in London, 2012 was a fantastic year for Louis!

Charlie Webster on Fran Halsall

I have covered many different areas in my time as a Sports TV presenter. After presenting football, and later motorsport in Spain and Asia, I was delighted to join Sky Sports in 2009 as a presenter and reporter on the live coverage of Elite League and Grand Prix Speedway. Just over a year ago, I became a regular presenter on Sky Sports News. I love the excitement of breaking the latest sports stories as soon as we hear about them. Working for Sky Sports News gave me the opportunity to act as a mentor on the Sky Sports Scholarship scheme. Fran Halsall is already one of the biggest names in sprint swimming. Her list of achievements at this stage of her career is astonishing. She is a European Champion, Commonwealth gold and World silver medallist. I'm glad I got the chance to work closely with her and help to support her media training in any way I could.

Rachel Wyse on Katie Taylor

I was born in Co. Dublin and have worked in sports broadcasting since 2008. I joined Sky Sports News as a presenter in July 2010, and I was delighted to be involved with the Sky Sports Scholarships scheme. My sporting background is in showjumping, and I've represented Ireland internationally, so I'm privileged to have an insight into the dedication and high standards required of these athletes striving to be the best. As part of the Sky Sports Scholarships scheme, I was proud to partner my fellow countrywoman and top amateur boxer Katie Taylor. Katie is three-times World and European amateur boxing Champion in her 60kg weight category, and Ireland's first world champion in the sport. As part of the Scholarships scheme, she was selected to benefit from funding and support from Sky Sports to finance the coaching, training camps, medical treatment and nutrition she needed to achieve her goals. In addition to this, as her mentor I provided support and advice to Katie and helped her develop media skills as she found herself in the public spotlight throughout 2012.

Julian Waters on Euan Burton

I have worked for Sky Sports for almost 18 years since joining as a football reporter in 1994. I'm proud to say I was one of the first presenters to go on air when Sky Sports News launched in 1998, so I was very pleased to have been involved with the Sky Sports Scholarships scheme. The scheme offered financial and invaluable mentor support to British athletes going into 2012 in order to equip them to excel. I'm an Arsenal fan and manage the odd game of golf, cricket or football in my personal time too, so I'm full of respect for people like my Sky Sports Scholarships partner Euan Burton, who represented Great Britain at judo. The funding and support provided to Euan as part of the Sky Sports Scholarships scheme assisted with his travel costs for domestic training and international camps as well as his recovery strategies, equipment and nutrition - essential in a weight-control sport such as judo. As well as the financial support given, I worked with Euan to impart media training and advice on handling the publicity associated with sporting success.

Jim White on Steve Brown

I've been at Sky Sports since 1998 and joined Sky Sports News when the channel launched in the same year. I'm a journalist by training, and I specialise in presenting football news and coverage, in particular the annual peak of excitement that is transfer deadline day! I have been working in broadcasting for over 30 years and have a lifelong passion for sport, so I was delighted to be involved with the Sky Sports Scholarships scheme partnering wheelchair rugby player Steve Brown. Steve has played wheelchair rugby for over five years and he plays for his club [Kent Crusaders/London Lions] as well as Great Britain. When playing for his club, Steve is self-funded. The financial assistance provided by Sky Sports Scholarships supported costs for his travel, entry fees and equipment, which included a £5,000 rugby wheelchair that needs replacing every 18 months. Alongside the physical and financial demands of this very physical sport is of course the media interest in his success, and we equipped Steve to handle this aspect of the industry.

Nat Sawyer on Nicola Sanders

My working relationship with Sky Sports goes way back to my University days when I worked a placement with the Rugby Union department. I re-joined a few years later and worked behind the scenes in production on Sky Sports News before becoming a presenter. Because I've been part of the Sky Sports News team on both sides of the camera, it was fantastic to be involved with the Sky Sports Scholarships scheme too. My love of sport extends beyond the day job - I'm an avid supporter of Brentford FC - so I have a solid respect for the dedication and talent of sportspeople like athlete Nicola Sanders who I was delighted to be partnering on the scheme. Nicola is an outstanding 400m runner. So far in her career she has been crowned world indoor champion and world silver medallist as well as winning several medals at World and European Championships as part of the Great Britain 4 x 400m relay team. Her Sky Sports Scholarship funded, amongst other things, warm weather training and access to the best medical assessment and treatment so that Nicola's success on the track continued. I was also pleased personally to be a support to Nicola as she managed the media interest.