OUR PARTNERS

We train coaches from all over the world who inspire a new generation of true athletes. Some of the organizations we have worked with:

WHY JOIN OUR COMMUNITY?

At The True Athlete Project, we believe that everyone is an athlete and a potential change-maker. By joining our community, you’ll become part of a global network of like-minded individuals committed to transforming the way we experience sport and life. This isn’t just a membership—it’s a chance to connect with others who share your values, support each other through personal and sporting challenges, and learn from world-leading practitioners. Together, we’ll explore how mindfulness, compassion, and sport can create a ripple effect of positive change in your life and the lives of others. Your subscription also helps fund our grassroots and community initiatives in the USA, making a tangible difference in the lives of young people and coaches. Join us in shaping a more compassionate world through the power of sport and connection.

MEMBERSHIP DESCRIPTION

  • Unlimited Access to Live Workshops: Engage with world-renowned facilitators in our exclusive live sessions.

  • Quarterly Reflection Sessions: Participate in insightful reflection sessions with your course leader every quarter.

  • Exclusive TAP Hub Resources: Access a wealth of over 50+ resources available only to our members.

  • Comprehensive Library Access: Enjoy unlimited access to our entire collection of meditation and movement classes.

  • Global Networking Opportunities: Connect and network with coaches, athletes, and sports enthusiasts from around the globe.

  • Free TAP T-Shirt: Receive a complimentary TAP T-Shirt with your second-year renewal.

  • Special Discounts: Benefit from exclusive discounts on TAP programs for your school or team.

WHO IS THE MEMBERSHIP FOR?

  • Coaches and Trainers looking for proven strategies to support their athletes' development, wellbeing, and resilience.

  • Athletes wanting to enhance mental and physical wellbeing and performance through mindfulness and self-compassion

  • Health and Wellness Professionals aiming to apply innovative approaches to performance, recovery, and sustainability in their practice.

  • Youth Coaches and Educators interested in fostering holistic development and creativity in young individuals.

SUBSCRIPTION PLANS

By subscribing, you're supporting our grassroots and community work in the USA, enabling us to initiate impactful change in communities. Together, we're transforming lives, one true athlete at a time. Join us in making a difference.

UNLOCK UNLIMITED ACCESS TO:

Coach Resources, Our Community, Monthly Mindfulness Practice and All Previous Workshops

FROM OUR FOUNDER

Sam Parfitt

''We believe that being a coach is not just a job. Being a coach is a transformative journey of personal growth filled with making special connections and building lifelong relationships. It's a commitment to making a positive impact to others, and to the future: "to plant trees under whose shade we will never sit."
Sam Parfitt, founder of TAP, in a white tee with TAP logo

A FEW OF YOUR INSTRUCTORS

Laurence Halsted

Laurence Halsted is a two-time British Olympic fencer and multiple European medallist, who competed in the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games. After more than a decade of performing at the highest levels of sport, Laurence hung up his swords and took on a role as the Performance Director of a national federation alongside becoming the Director of mentoring at The True Athlete Project. In 2021 Laurence published TAP's book, Becoming a True Athlete - a practical philosophy for flourishing through sport, which goes far beyond the results and medals to rediscover the true value of being an athlete. Laurence is on a mission to help people to discover that a mindful, compassionate approach to life is both far healthier and more sustainable and will also help us to perform better than what our traditional concepts would have us believe about succeeding in life.

Sam Parfitt

Sam Parfitt is the CEO and Founder of The True Athlete Project (TAP) and a global leader in social impact through sport. He is a former NCAA division one tennis player, coach, and mindfulness teacher, with an MSc in Sport Policy, Management and International Development from the University of Edinburgh. Using his experiences in sport - both positive and negative - Sam pioneered a mindfulness-based approach to sport which aims to make a profound difference to the lives of children, young people and athletes around the world, and to the culture of sport as a whole. He brings this approach to life across diverse contexts - from working with Olympic athletes and at-risk Hispanic youth, to community volunteers in Scotland and young leaders in sub-saharan Africa and the Middle East. He is a member of the Euphrates Peace Practice Alliance.

Cath Bishop

Cath draws on her careers as an Olympic rower and conflict diplomat, combined with her experience of working with a wide range of organisations across sectors to raise performance, transform cultures and develop effective leadership and teams. Cath's book 'The Long Win' was published in 2020 to acclaim across sport, education, business and public life. Cath writes monthly articles for The Guardian on topics of culture in sport. TAP Supporter for years, member of Advisory Board.

Oz Marginean

Oz is TAP's US Program Manager and Membership Lead. She's an Inspire By Fighting Monkey Instructor based in Barcelona, and a former NCAA D1 basketball player of St Francis College Brooklyn Terriers. Her teachings combine athletic development with creative play and embodiment. She has a MSc in Sports Psychology from University of Essex and a Master in Coaching from Johan Cruyff Institute. She loves helping adults re-discover the joy of play and expression through movement!

Gregory Lott

Greg has a doctorate degree in kinesiology, focusing on sport management and higher education, from The Ohio State University; master’s degree in sport administration from Canisius College, NY; and bachelor’s degree in international business and management, Dickinson College, PA. He has numerous publications and is a sought-after speaker both in the U.S. and abroad. He serves as chair of the Board of Trustees for the Granville Recreation District and is a member of the Coach Development Team for Sport Coach America. Lott has two sons, Trevor and Cameron. His wife, Melanie, is an associate professor of physics at Denison University. Currently, he is working with British Gymnastics, where he is leading a coach development program and partnering with our Charity on work with British Gymnastics’s leadership and gymnastic team members.

Olivier Goetgeluck

Olivier Goetgeluck co-founded Elite Athletes (2011) and Elite Academy Antwerp (2018) in Belgium. He functions as a Play-Perform Coach. Olivier tries to balance better performance with play in his learning approach with kids, professional athletes and ‘release, move, perform’ coaching clients. In basketball he has lead coaches workshops and player camps at organisations such as NBA Basketball Without Borders, Junior NBA, Zaza Pachulia Academy, Federation Francaise de Basketball, Czech Basketball, Drillo Sweden and more. Further he is an instructor of Fighting Monkey Practice, an athletic & creative research platform of 20+ years that drives innovation in physical education, sports and arts.

TESTIMONIALS

“TAP is an organisation that at its core is built on a fundamental understanding of the pressures faced by athletes. The team brings their unique experiences of being athletes and have used these to create an authentic offer that truly connects with young people​. ”

Georgina Usher, British Fencing CEO

“Learning together is a privilege reserved for people who are passionate about growth, inspired to pass on that spark and eager to deepen human connection. TAP has allowed me to do all of this in a place where I’ve felt supported to learn new skills; it's where I’ve been trusted to share my wisdom but most of all it’s been a place where the impact that I’ve been able to have, has been visible to see. ”

Chris Cook, Olympic Swimmer, Business Coach

“TAP is an inspired initiative to demonstrate the power of sport as a force for good. Their ability to design innovative solutions to match the needs of athletes and coaches is needed now more than ever.”

Sir Norman Lamb, Former UK Health Minister and Mental Health Champion

“The 'In the Zone' workshop with TAP taught me mindfulness in an accessible and informative way so that it quickly became part of my sports delivery. The confidence and knowledge TAP instilled was noticeable in a very short space of time. ”

Tommy Britton, Goalball National Coach

Join us, change lives, and build a more compassionate world through sport